Storms Inside
by Intergalactic Chocochip Cookie
Summary: A series of unfortunate events made Elsa fall through a portal and end up in Storybrooke. Now she will need Regina's help to go back to Arendelle and Anna. But who will give the greater help, Regina to Elsa's safe return home, or Elsa to that something she definitely sees between Madame Mayor and Storybrooke's Sheriff, Emma Swan? - Much fluff and Swan Queen / Elsanna on the way.
1. The First Storm

**Hello, everyone! I'm finally trying my hand at some OUAT – Frozen interaction. I really, really wanted to have Elsa and Regina interact and help each other. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it. Do let me know what you think!**

**Much love, and Happy New Year**

**XOXO**

…**..**

**The First Storm**

It came quite suddenly. Regina Mills stood in her kitchen, setting all the ingredients for apple turnovers, when her windows began frosting. The temperature dropped to the point of freezing and when Regina cleared one of the crystals she saw snowflakes spiralling up and down the street.

"What the…?"

Knowing this had to be the work of magic Regina prepared herself to face whatever, or whoever, had caused it. This didn't look like something Gold would do, and the possibility of someone else so powerful was rather troubling. With a flick of her hand Regina was wrapped in winter clothes, and then she ventured out into that sudden winter, determined to make the culprit behind it pay dearly. The wind had begun to shake every tree in Storybrooke, and the snow storm appeared to be gaining strength. Regina hoped she wouldn't need to stand too long over that blizzard.

Thankfully, she didn't. When she arrived to the edge of the woods she saw someone running, running towards the town. As the figure approached, Regina realized it was a girl, who looked rather frightened and confused.

Blonde and with wide blue eyes, the girl was very young, yet the way she carried herself, the way she walked and moved, made it clear that she wasn't just _any_ girl. Sure enough, as she approached Regina was able to see a small crown glittering on her head. When the girl saw her, she stopped, and Regina could have sworn that she looked relieved. Still, not wanting to take any chances, Regina produced a fireball and held it over her hand, waiting to discover who the stranger was. The girl stared at her, and then at the fireball.

"You have the gift of fire?" she asked, more curious than frightened, and then looked at her own hands. Regina understood that she was somehow the one involved in the sudden winter cast upon Storybrooke. Strange, that someone so frail and delicate could have unleashed a storm that, as far as Madame Mayor was concerned, covered the entire town.

Regina looked at the fireball still in her hand. Until she could figure out who this newcomer was, better show her who had the authority.

"Among others." Then the fireball went out. She didn't want to scare the girl more than necessary. "Who are you?"

"I'm Elsa," the girl said. Then, as if correcting herself, she added, "Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

"Well, Elsa, I'm Regina. Queen of Fairy Tale Land, and mayor of Storybrooke."

A brief nod was exchanged between both women, acknowledging each other as an equal. Then Elsa looked around her, allowing herself to look a bit confused."

"Where am I?"

"Storybrooke. It seems that you have come a long way from Arendelle."

The storm had calmed down by now, but as a bunch of snow fell off a branch, Elsa noticed the whiteness around them.

"This… uh… I'm so sorry. When I got here I panicked, and it got out of control. Let me fix it."

Elsa raised her hands, but Regina stopped her.

"Don't worry about it just yet. These people could do with a little cold. Serves them right." There was a pause. Young Elsa seemed to be quite harmless, a lost child rather than an enemy. In all her years as Queen and Mayor Regina had learned to dig into people's natures with one look, and this time she detected no threat. Deciding that she could trust the little queen, Regina added, "Well, Elsa, though you do seem to be quite in your element, I think we need to talk in a more comfortable place. How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?"


	2. The Swan Storm

**What's up, people! Welcome to the second chapter of this story. I'm glad you like it so far. Let me know what you think!**

**XOXO**

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**The Swan Storm**

"Do you like it?"

"It's delicious. I'd never had anything like this before."

Elsa cupped her glass of apple cider and took another sip with evident delight. Regina meanwhile continued preparing her famous turnovers, for it was clear that the girl was starving. And though she wasn't exactly bothered by the cold, Elsa appreciated Regina's fireplace. Once she'd put the turnovers in the oven, Regina went to sit on the sofa right across Elsa.

"So, Elsa, what brings you to Storybrooke? Visitors are a rare sight in this town."

"I... I'm not sure, actually. I was running after my sister, Anna." Elsa smiled at the memory of her young sister. "We were in the woods. Then I saw this big pool of light, spiralling and shaking, and I thought that she'd fallen inside. I leaned down to see if she was there and I slipped and fell. Next thing I knew I was here."

_A portal_, Regina thought. _But how?_ As far as she knew the beans were gone; she and Gold kept close watch over the objects they owned that could be used as portals; the woods were patrolled for safety, and she doubted anyone besides Gold and herself knew enough about magic or had enough power to create a new passage from scratch. _Unless that Imp has been double-crossing me, which would be very like him._ But she would deal with that later; there were other pressing matters at the moment, such as her young and wintry new friend.

"Tell me about your talent," Regina asked. To tell the truth, she was very curious.

"It's something I was born with. I can control ice and snow." Elsa gave her a sort of overview about her gift, and soon realized it was the first time she openly discussed it. It felt good to talk about it with someone who had no history in her kingdom, someone who hadn't been at her coronation and therefore saw the whole thing with fresh eyes. Moreover, someone who wouldn't judge her, because she had talents of her own. "But you have powers, too. What are they?"

"Well, I too was born with some kind of power, but I needed someone to guide me on how to develop it. What I do is more, let's say, traditional. I'm a trained… sorceress. A witch, some would say. But I like 'sorceress' better."

Contrary to what Regina expected, Elsa's eyes were full of understanding instead of accusations. "People will never understand what we can do. They'll call it black magic and hunt us down."

Regina began to look at Elsa with new eyes. Though quite young, there was endless suffering drawn in her face, barely concealed by her kindness and great beauty. They had more in common than she'd originally thought. Suddenly, she felt the urge to help her, another lost queen. Regina wanted to say something about that, but before she'd even begun to speak someone knocked at the door. Or, rather, pounded it.

"Oy, Regina! Regina!"

That lack of dignity could only belong to one person. Emma Swan. Indeed, the Sheriff called her name again.

"Miss Swan! What is going on? Why are you screaming like that?"

"Because I'm bloody freezing out here!" Emma's words were coming with never-ending, growing urgency. To her relief, Regina finally opened the door.

"May I know why you're about to break my door? And, more importantly, why the _hell_ aren't you with Henry, if this was your custody day?"

"Excuse me? I was just getting out of the station to take the kid to the movies or something, when all of a sudden, bam! It's December! Can you explain what is going on? I've had _hundreds _of calls from every person in this town demanding an answer." Emma shook the snow off her hair. She had been wearing only jeans and a light blouse, which was probably the reason she was now beginning to turn blue. "I was gonna drive here, but my bug can't handle this much snow, so I had to run all the way, and-"

"First of all, Miss Swan, calm down. Second, that is no excuse to leave Henry under the care of the two idiots. I know you did, don't even try telling me otherwise. And third, I didn't cause the winter, so save your protests."

"You didn't, huh? Then who was it? Gold?"

Regina hesitated. She wasn't sure if she could trust Emma with this, especially because of those two idiots and their way to ruin everything they ever got involved in. But she decided that there was no way Emma wouldn't find out, given the amount of interaction between she and Regina, and the fact that Henry hid nothing from either of his moms. She opened the door and gestured for the Sheriff to come in. Emma's reaction upon seeing Elsa was just as controlled and reserved as Regina had expected.

"Whoa! Who en Earth are you? Regina, did you do something to her? What-"

"Emma, please do calm down. I didn't do anything to her, she's fine." Regina was beginning to sound exasperated. "She needs our help." Regina sighed. "Emma, let me introduce you to Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

Emma was finally left speechless. Elsa walked softly towards her and held out her hand; Emma shook it and noticed its coolness. She then also noticed the smell coming from the kitchen and for the first time she forgot winter and ice queen altogether.

"Ooh, are you baking turnovers, Regina?"

"Don't even think you'll get one if you continue being this unhelpful, Emma."

A laugh escaped Elsa's lips and so the Sheriff's attention returned to her. "So," she began. "You did this?"

"I'm so sorry, really. It wasn't my intention to cause this and I will absolutely fix it." Elsa did look full of regret and Emma tried to find a way to soothe her, particularly after how she had talked about the winter when she arrived.

"Don't worry. It's actually… well, quite cool. You did it all by yourself?"

"Yes." Elsa then explained to Emma what she had already told Regina, both about her power and how she'd arrived to Storybrooke. It had been a while since Emma had felt that shocked, perhaps even since she understood the truth about the original curse. There was something about Elsa that appealed to her in a very personal way, though she couldn't quite figure out what that was. But another thing about Elsa caught her attention: Anna.

"You were running after her? Had she escaped or something?"

"We had this huge fight." Elsa's face was darkened by the memory. "We said some ugly things and then she left the castle. I feared she would do something silly and get injured, so I went after her."

Emma went to sit beside Elsa, and the closeness appeared to comfort the young queen. "Why did you fight?"

"Because… because I denied her permission to marry."

Emma's eyes were huge. "Permission? To _marry? _You need such a thing?"

"Members of royal families must always ask the queen or king's permission to marry. It's a law." Regina rolled her eyes as she explained.

Elsa tried to clear the story, almost more to herself than to the others. "I didn't quite deny it. I just wanted her to think things through. I mean, Anna once tried to marry a man she'd only met that night, and it almost got both of us killed. This man, well, at least she's known him for a little longer, but still… Anna is a free spirit. Much as she may love him, she cannot tie herself in such a compromise because settling down is not in her nature."

"How old is she?"

"Eighteen."

"Don't worry, Elsa," Emma tried to comfort her, "she will understand. There are so many things we can't see when we're eighteen." _So many, many, many things…_

"Oh, but I'm such a fool! I shouldn't have said it that way. I just wanted her to fully understand what she's doing. But Anna is sensitive, and young, and has such a capacity to feel! I hurt her, and that's why she left. I can't even know if she's ok, last time I saw her was right before I fell down that portal."

On an impulse, Emma put one arm around Elsa's shoulders. The girl's shock was so enormous that the sofa and part of the table frosted, and it began to snow right in Regina Mills' living room.

"Sorry! So sorry," apologized Emma. "I didn't mean to-"

"No, no, it's ok, I'm fine," Elsa reassured her, quickly defrosting the furniture. "It's just that… I'm not used to being touched. When I was a little girl I had contact with no one, even my parents were afraid of me, of what I could do. Hugs are a very new thing for me. But very welcome." She smiled.

Another knock on the door, this one -and Regina was grateful for that- a lot more civilized. She went to answer the door and found Belle, perfectly wrapped in a fur-lined cloak, of course. The girl looked a bit intimidated by the sight of Regina, and placed an arm protectively around her huge belly. Regina was suddenly angry at Gold. _Why on Earth did he send her? This girl could give birth any minute!_

"Hello Regina," Belle's voice was a little shaky. Regina had always scared her.

"Good afternoon, Belle. He sent you?"

"Um, yes. He was wondering when this sudden winter would stop."

"This winter will stop whenever I want it to. Anything else?"

"He also asked me to tell Elsa that she's welcome in the shop anytime, to figure things out. Does that make any sense to you? Who's Elsa?"

"I have no idea. Your husband has always had lots of weird thoughts, so tell him he better get comfortable and wait for summer. And also tell him that if he wants to say something to me, he can come directly. There's no need to send a vulnerable pregnant girl." Regina allowed herself a wicked smile. She didn't exactly have anything against Belle, but she knew the message would get where she wanted. "Especially _his_ girl."

Belle nodded and left. _Poor thing_, Regina thought. _But he'll come_. Then she went back to her blonde companions.

"Get up, Emma, you're leaving."

"I am?"

"Yes. You're bringing Henry, I don't want him to spend one more minute with your parents. Get him and come right back here."

"But it's cold!"

"Oh, don't be such a crybaby." With a wave of her hand, Regina had Emma appropriately dressed for Elsa's winter. The Sheriff was out of excuses and Regina allowed herself a smile. "Now go." Emma left, stomping her feet and secretly thinking about reward turnovers.

"Who's Henry?" asked Elsa. In the middle of the chaos and the way Emma and Regina spoke to each other, that Henry appeared to be the only thing that made sense between the women.

"My son." Regina's face when she mentioned him was very much like Elsa's when talking about Anna.

"You have a son? That's so nice."

"Yes. Emma was supposed to look after him tonight, but…"

This puzzled Elsa. "Why would she have your son?"

"It's her son, too. It's complicated."

Before Elsa could process this new bit of information, there came yet another knock. Regina had to supress a groan. Would these people ever leave her alone? But this time she had a fairly good idea about who her visitor was, and so she opened the door with a little mocking smile. Sure enough, Gold stood before her.

"Hello Regina. I'm here to see Elsa."


	3. The Golden Storm

**Hello everyone! Third chapter of this story, and thank you all for your support. This will be the last of the 'introductory' chapters, and hopefully in a few days we'll be getting some action.**

**Much love to everyone**

**XOXO**

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**The Golden Storm**

"What do you want, Gold?"

"Like I've said, I want to see Elsa. This has nothing to do with you, Regina, so don't try to intervene. Please."

"This has everything to do with me. It's my town, it's my guest, and it's my house."

"In any case, it's not you I want to talk to. So if you excuse me…"

Too angry to keep fighting, Regina let Gold into the house. Elsa had already stood up, not one to be caught off guard. Gold beamed when he saw her.

"Your Majesty," he said with a gentle bow of his head. Elsa corresponded, but there was mistrust in her eyes. Gold quickly noticed it. "You have nothing to fear from me, no matter what she has told you. I'm here to help you."

"How so?"

"I can help you find your way back home, a safe passage to Arendelle."

"With a portal?"

"That would be a good choice, but rather difficult. We'll stay open to all possibilities."

Elsa was still unsure. "That portal, the one that brought me here, did you have anything to do with it?"

When Gold replied it seemed to her that he'd had the answer rehearsed beforehand. "I assure you I didn't. That was all an unfortunate accident."

"Then how did you know I was coming? Only Regina found out, and that's because she found me in the woods."

"Regina and I keep control of this place, but with different magic. Mine let me know that you had arrived. I suppose you want to return to your kingdom as soon as possible, so we should start working right away."

The way Rumple skipped fully answering Elsa's question didn't go unnoticed by either woman. They eyes met in understanding and Regina was relieved to see that Elsa wouldn't fall into Gold's traps.

"And what do you suggest?" Elsa was still polite, but controlled.

"If you come over to my shop we can take a look at different objects that could be useful. Your magic could be of help, too, once we know its full extent. That would require special assessment. I'd dare say we're the three most powerful people in many realms, if not all of them."

Unfortunately for Gold, he'd just hit a nerve. The meeting with the trolls that fateful day that marked the beginning Elsa's isolation was only the first of many discussions with magic experts, with people her parents had sought to 'assess' her powers, to find a way to control them or even eradicate them. It had taken many years for Elsa to speak up about the way she was treated, studied as an object and rejected when proved 'hopeless'. She wouldn't go back to that, no matter how persuading Gold was trying to be.

"I'll think about that," she said carefully. She didn't want a powerful enemy, either.

Gold finally seemed to realize he wouldn't be able to press her much further. Though he hadn't underestimated the strength of her ice, he hadn't totally considered the strength of her personality. This would take longer than expected, but would hopefully be worth it.

"Sounds perfect," he said. "Take your time. After all this is in your own interest. Just one more thing: this… change in weather… I'd advise you to return everything to normality as soon as possible."

"What if I don't want to?" Elsa didn't mean to be defiant, and actually did want to end the winter, but she was getting annoyed by this man who insisted on telling her what to do.

"People in this town get upset very easily, as Regina might recall. Though they can be controlled, it is not a good idea to have them talking and conspiring; an angry mob can have unexpected effects. Just think about it, Elsa. My only wish is to keep danger away from you. And from Anna. Goodbye."

The moment he was gone Elsa sighed and relaxed, and a few snowflakes swirled around her body. Regina went to pour more apple cider for both of them, but decided that the situation required something stronger. She only hoped Elsa had some experience in handling alcohol.

"I don't trust him. How does he know about Arendelle? About my sister?" Elsa said the last words with growing worry.

"Gold has ways into everybody's lives. That's how he always gets them to do what he wants."

"Who is he, anyway? I mean, where does he come from?"

"Around here he's known as Mr. Gold, but he actually goes by Rumpelstiltskin." Elsa's face lit up in recognition. "Do you know him?"

"I've only heard of him, and read about his story in books. I wasn't expecting him to be like that. How did you know him? You don't seem the kind who would make deals with his kind."

_Oh, talk about all the deals with him._ "He was my teacher, when I was a young girl. He taught me everything I know about magic."

"He taught you?" Elsa was genuinely surprised. "Then why do you hate him?"

Regina sighed. "Though I learned a lot, that knowledge essentially ruined my life. He used me in many ways, all to his own interest. He knew what magic was doing to me, even if I was too foolish to see it, yet he carried on his little experiment on me. I'm glad you were stronger than I was. He won't ever get to you. And don't worry, my dear, I can assure you my hatred is well corresponded. He loathes me."

Once again, Elsa's eyes were full of that strange understanding that had impressed Regina so much. "You met him when you were younger… It's so typical, they see that we're women and that we're young, and they assume they can do whatever they want with us. You should see the ambassadors that come to Arendelle looking for a better deal in trading."

Outside the mansion, Emma and Henry were finally arriving. Just before entering the house Emma knelt and spoke to her son very seriously.

"Listen kid, your mom is making apple turnovers, so you better convince her to let me stay for dinner, you understand?" Henry nodded. The power of his mother's turnovers was too great to be denied to anyone.

Emma was her usual loud self when she announced their presence. "Hey, we're here!"

Regina rolled her eyes but smiled widely when she saw her boy. Quickly she took his hand and introduced him to Elsa.

"This is our son, Henry."

Seeing that Elsa was truly baffled by the whole thing Emma and Regina tried to explain their situation the best they could. Elsa did her best to keep up, but in the end decided to figure it out with time. Emma and Regina's relationship, much like hers with Anna, was one that needed time to be processed. No one would ever truly understand it, or the reasons behind it. It was much too special… and much too difficult.

Elsa greeted Henry affectionately and subtly looked at his moms. They both had the same fierce pride and love in their eyes when they were with him.

"My mom told me all about you," he said. His eyes twinkled like Emma's, but he spoke like Regina. "I brought the book. I don't know if it's useful here, but still." He showed Elsa the famous story book that had started it all, back in Curse times.

"May I take a look?" asked Elsa, her curiosity spiked.

She began flipping through the pages. "This is beautiful, and so complete. Of course, Arendelle has always kept a low profile, particularly after I was born; that must be why we're not here. Oh, you know our cousin Rapunzel? She's a darling. So," Elsa finally said when she was done reading, "what's the plan? What will happen with me?"

Regina quickly reassured her. "Of course, you will stay here. You'll have everything you need and you'll be safe from unwanted eyes. We won't go to Gold unless it's extremely necessary. And since he has a habit of underestimating me, I'm sure it will never come to that. It will all work out. But you must be exhausted and hungry. Dinner's ready."

To Emma's utter delight, she did get invited to dinner thanks to Henry's and Elsa's influence. The smell of Regina's cooking filled her heart with joy while she and Elsa set the table, and she tried to make conversation with the girl.

"This must feel so weird to you," began Emma, "being in a strange land, doing peasant stuff," she gestured at the cutlery they were placing, "with weird people like us."

Elsa laughed. "It _is_ strange, but not so bad. I feel like I could get used to this, doing peasant stuff. And you have been very kind to me, which is more that I can say about everyone else I've ever met. I wish I could stay longer. But my kingdom needs me, and in a way I need them, too. And my sister, I must get back to Anna."

The way Elsa spoke caught Emma's attention. There was painful longing in the girl's words about her sister. From what Emma had gathered listening to Elsa's story, Anna was the only person she had, and she'd only very recently recovered her. This new separation must be terrifying for the snow queen.

Dinner was delicious, of course. Regina had prepared her famous lasagne, which in Emma's eyes was worth going through every blizzard in the world. Elsa looked quite pleased, too, and promised to share some of Arendelle's best recipes in return. Henry was asking her all the questions that his mothers didn't dare mention, and the three of them got a better insight into Elsa's life. Emma and Regina also explained a few details about Storybrooke, for Elsa refused to stay 24/7 inside the house (she'd had enough locking up for one lifetime) and needed knowledge about the town, especially because of the chances of running into Gold.

"It's not that bad," Regina told her. "As long as you stay away from Emma's parents you'll be fine."

Emma was too busy procuring herself a third serving of lasagne to notice or care about the comment.

After dinner, Regina led Elsa upstairs and showed her the guest room that would become hers during the peculiar stay.

"I've conditioned this room for you," Regina told her. "There's everything I thought you might need: your own bathroom, a desk, stationery. And… more comfortable clothing?" She opened the closet door. It was full of sweaters, blazers, jeans, and the like. "You're still too young to wear stuff like mine, so I tried to figure out what you would prefer. You will look good in these, but if you want something else let me know."

Elsa was wearing a blue dress, but made of velvet instead of ice; she tried to save the ice clothes for special occasions, such as balls, meetings, or holidays. Or ice-skating with Anna. Or building snowmen with Anna. Anyway. But as much as she loved her clothes, it was true that they would be impractical for her stay in Storybrooke. And this would be a good time to put on her first pair of trousers.

Regina left Elsa in her room so that she could settle and make herself comfortable with some privacy. When she came downstairs she found Emma getting ready to leave.

"I'm going home, Regina. Henry will stay here. I don't want to take him out in this cold, and he enjoys Elsa's company. It will do him good to talk to someone who isn't the usual crazy people around here."

Regina nodded, concealing her surprise and pleasure for having her son stay with her. Emma then proceeded to grab her stuff, but the Mayor's voice interrupted her.

"Emma."

The Sheriff turned around. Regina fought a bit with her words, but in the end she managed to speak.

"Stay. There's another room you can take. You might be of some use tomorrow, and I don't want you to be late as usual, or bring that yellow deathtrap of yours to pollute my front view. Come upstairs, I'll show you."

Emma was frozen in place, too shocked to make a move. Henry encouraged her to follow his mother and finally she began to move. As she walked behind Regina she felt a strange tickle at the idea of spending the night in Regina's house. A tickle that wasn't unpleasant at all.


	4. The Redhead Storm

**The Redhead Storm**

Elsa only allowed herself that day to rest. Next morning, when Emma came downstairs, she found her and Regina already hard at work. Elsa now wore her hair in a loose French braid down her back, and had put on a pair of dark blue jeans and a knit sweater. For a girl who grew up exclusively on royal dresses, she had a great intuition and sense of style.

"Hey there," greeted Emma. "Have you guys had any breakfast yet?" She was starving.

"Coffee", one of them mumbled.

"That's not a real breakfast. I'll fix you something."

"Do not burn down my kitchen, Miss Swan."

Emma laughed at Regina's comment. They didn't bother her anymore; she had simply grown to accept them as part of Regina's personality instead of something specifically aimed at her. While she cooked, Emma could hear Elsa and Regina talking in the dining room, with intense voices and the sound of writing. Finally, Emma was done preparing what she considered a decent enough breakfast and brought it to the queens. She handed Elsa a mug. The girl took it and stared at it for a moment. Then she inhaled with her eyes closed.

"Chocolate," she said softly.

For a moment Elsa looked more like a child than a queen. She sipped the chocolate and an expression of utter bliss appeared on her face. With the lingering smile she told Emma about her morning's work with Regina.

"We are trying to figure out what we could use to make a new portal to Arendelle. Regina's magic is more than enough to create one, so that shouldn't be a problem."

"Emma, please help me convince Elsa that presence should be kept quiet," Regina continued. "You saw Gold yesterday, and I don't want to take any risks with the fairies or anyone else. People will eventually find out, but we should be discreet."

"Yes, but I won't stay in here all the time. I won't be locked up 'for my safety' again. I can handle this."

Emma already knew that the whole stay-in-you-room-for-your-own-protection thing was a touchy subject for Elsa, so she took her side

Regina then took out a sketch map of Storybrooke. "The most important thing right now is to detect whether that was the only portal that opened."

"Has anyone else showed up in Storybrooke?" asked Emma as she sat down next to Elsa.

"No. That's why we think Elsa's was the only one."

"And what do we do now?"

"Given that this Gold already knows I'm here it's worth seeing what he has to offer. There's three of us against any problem that might arise. We need is a portal that can take me back, but also…" Elsa stopped.

"What?"

"Well, I was thinking about finding a way to communicate with Arendelle, however brief that contact might be."

"Don't you guys have like, phone or Internet or something?"

Elsa's face was completely blank and Regina's was reaching a dangerous point of exasperation, so Emma decided to drop that matter.

Elsa began to explain. "Arendelle is alone at the moment. They tried to take it once, and I fear someone might strike again. As soon as it's known that I'm not there… I left some affairs pending, a bunch of papers to be signed, problems to be solved. Arendelle cannot be queen-less for too long." Then, in a much different voice, she added. "And I really need to talk to Anna, just talk to her."

"Fine," said Regina. "I think I know what we could use for that. And no, Emma, it's not a phone or Wifi."

Emma made a face and looked discreetly over Elsa's notebook. Along with reminders to talk to Gold and try to get in touch with her kingdom there were scribbles such as _Water system –how?, Find out about artificial light, Must ask turnovers recipe for Anna_. Apparently Elsa had kept her eyes very opened and was getting information that could help improve life in Arendelle. Emma was too impressed by the dedication of this Queen and the tremendous amount of work she put into her job. For a moment she worried that Elsa stressed herself too much and wondered she would take a suggestion about holidays. But when she looked up, Emma spotted a mark on Elsa's neck_._ Bluish purple, it could have passed as a bruise, but Emma knew better._ Jesus Christ, is that a hickey?_ It looked like the Queen of Arendelle wasn't quite as reserved as she looked.

Emma asked the women if they wanted anything else, but neither answered, too engrossed in their plans to hear. She sighed. _Queens will be queens._

The three women exchanged ideas for a while. Eventually, they decided that it was time to let summer return to Storybrooke. Its citizens had had a good scare and Elsa was eager to fix her accident.

"Well," she said as she got up. "It's time to thaw."

They went to Regina's backyard, right next to her apple tree. Elsa walked through the thick snow with ease and grace. She stood in the open, under the white sky, and got ready.

Elsa took a deep breath and raised her palms, waiting for the rush of energy. It came, faster and stronger than the time before. Of course, now that she knew about love, and about the person… the feeling… It was much easier to let her magic flow.

Regina and Emma watched Elsa intently. A soft smile had appeared on her lips, and now that snow was lifting from the ground it became a full grin. Snowflakes swirled around her as they danced away from trees and buildings. Elsa closed her eyes and just let it go, allowing the sparkling waves of her winter to lift and fade.

To watch Elsa do her magic was a fascinating thing. It was the moment when she truly seemed out of this world, but also when she was most herself. The already beautiful face was filled with the glow of her power, her eyes shone with almost inhuman light. Regina had to admit she felt a pang of envy. Although she had certainly liked her own abilities, there had never been such pure, happy, _clean _enjoyment in it. Doing white magic for the pleasure of it was something she had never known.

Emma just stared at Elsa, mouth open and eyes huge. Behind her Regina observed her reactions. _It's as if she'd never seen magic before… She's like a child… little fool._ But, strangely, she didn't find it ridiculous. Once, a long time ago, she had felt the same wonder when looking at her mother and her spells. Seeing it in another person was refreshing and… cute. Emma felt the eyes on her and turned around, barely catching Regina's gaze. The Mayor quickly turned her head, and a faint blush coloured her cheeks.

Finally Elsa was done, and the last of her winter exploded in tiny glittering snowflakes. Warm sun shone on her white gold hair and she picked out the last icicle from Regina's tree. She turned to Emma and Regina with a look of complete satisfaction.

"How do you do that?" asked Emma, still impressed. "The thawing thing?"

"Love will thaw," said Elsa simply. "When there's love in you, you find balance and control in your life. Love is the most powerful magic of all."

Love was the ultimate power, the force that allowed her to control her magic. She had felt it now, the love inside her that had been recently awoken, but there was also love around her. She looked at Emma and Regina again. This was much more interesting that she had thought.

When they went back into the house, Elsa seized the moment when Emma headed upstairs to see if Henry was up to sit with Regina. She noticed that the Mayor's eyes were following the blonde Sheriff.

"She's pretty," Elsa said.

"Excuse me?"

"Emma. She's pretty. And she thinks you are, too."

"What are you saying?"

Elsa smiled innocently. "Nothing. But next time you see her, pay attention to how she looks at you."

Not one to be outdone, Regina quickly spotted something to take revenge on Elsa's comment. "And who's your lucky one?"

"What?"

"Whoever gave you that." Regina gestured at the mark on Elsa's neck. The Queen of Arendelle found a mirror to check for herself. To Regina's pleasure, she saw the girl's face go through every shade of red on Earth.

"I… I… um…"

Elsa was saved by Henry's arrival, and answering another bunch of his questions helped her to evade his mother's big one. Later that day, when Emma and Henry were explaining to Elsa how the oven and microwave worked, Regina arrived with a silver object in her hands.

"I think I've found a way for you to check on things in your kingdom."

Elsa looked up, eyes bright. Regina presented her a mirror.

"This is something I did when we were in Fairy Tale Land. Mirrors are a great way to communicate because essentially everyone has one and they're quite inconspicuous. I'm not sure if this will work between realms, but it's worth a try. As long as each side has a mirror, you can communicate."

They went to the living room and Elsa sat with the mirror on her lap. Regina instructed her to focus very hard on the other mirror, the one in Arendelle, so that she could connect them.

"I'm not sure how long this can last, so use your time well."

Regina passed her hand over the mirror a couple of times. It came to life. When the scene became clear on the crystal Elsa beamed –clearly it was what she expected.

"It's Anna's room."

Elsa called her sister's name a couple of times, but the girl didn't appear. Instead, a snowman peered into the crystal.

"Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!"

Elsa laughed. "Olaf, it's me, Elsa."

The snowman gasped. "Elsa! What happened to you? Who trapped you there?"

"I'm not trapped, Olaf. I'm somewhere else. This mirror is helping me talk with you guys. Now, Olaf, listen to me. Is Anna there?"

"Yes, why?"

"In the castle?"

"Yes, why?"

"I need you to go get her. Go Olaf!"

Olaf vanished. Fortunately it didn't take him long to find Anna. Soon the sound of stomping boots and ruffling fabric filled the room.

"Elsa!"

"Anna!"

"Oh Elsa, where are you? Who did this? Hans? The Duke? How-"

"Anna, calm down, don't worry. I'm safe. A bit far, but safe. I'm doing everything I can to get home, but I don't know how long that will take. I need you to take care of Arendelle's affairs until I'm back, ok?"

Anna nodded while her sister dictated her a to-do list. But there were too many questions for the princess to focus on duty.

"What happened? We were in the woods, and then you were gone! How?"

Elsa explained the situation the best she could without going into too many details. Anna was mortified enough to realize that her sister's disappearance was a consequence of their fight (which both of them were already being careful not to mention); there was no need to tell her she still didn't have a clue as to how to go back.

Anna moved closer to the mirror and held out her hand as if to touch Elsa's cheek. "I miss you Elsa. We promised."

"I know, Anna, I know. This is temporary. Please don't cry." Anna's eyes had indeed started to fill with tears, and Emma and Regina noticed how Elsa's hands tensed and grabbed at the sofa when she saw it. And they noticed, of course, that it had begun to snow.

"I don't wanna lose you again," said the redhead, wiping her cheeks. "When I saw you were gone, and I couldn't find you anywhere, I thought so many things. I was so scared… I just really don't wanna lose you."

Elsa's voice had become soft and mellow, soothing. "You won't. I'm not gone forever, this is just a moment. Look, do you see them?" She gestured at Regina and Emma to come closer. Anna acknowledged them with a nod. "They're helping me return home. In a week we'll be laughing about this. You have Olaf with you. Kristoff is there as well."

Anna shook her head. "He left for the North Mountain while we were in the woods. It will be a while before he gets back."

"Well, don't you worry about that. You'll have enough work to keep yourself busy until then. Remember the ambassador from Corona is coming next week, so have Rapunzel's package ready, and we have an invitation to attend the baptism of Nancy and Edward's child in Andalasia, we need to send a reply to that. Also, don't forget to send a thank-you note to Agrabah for the gifts we received. You will do all that for me, won't you?"

Anna nodded, calmer now. Elsa had used work to distract her sister from the overload of feelings, which was exactly what she did to distract herself when she thought too much about the little redhead. _Conceal, don't feel. Don't let her see how much you miss her. She'll suffer more. Conceal._

Henry called for his moms, which left Elsa talking in private with Anna, who, was now smiling again. When she was sure she wouldn't be heard, the Queen showed her sister the love bite on her neck and then addressed her very seriously.

"One more thing. I found this. Don't think we're not getting even when I return, young lady."

The redhead giggled. "Frick-frack," she said in a singsong voice.

Elsa laughed and covered her blushing face. "Oh, shut up."

But soon the shapes in both mirrors began to blur, and Elsa knew the magic was fading. She reassured her sister once more and promised she would get in touch again as soon as possible. Olaf popped up again and swore to look after Anna. Then, the image went black.

The ice queen buried her face in her hands and, though she did all she could to stop it, she began to sob. The mirror on her lap was covered in delicate frost. She told herself what she had told her sister, that it was temporary and that they'd be reunited sooner than they thought. But it wasn't enough. She had just gotten Anna back, and there she was without her again. She longed for Anna's warmth, her laughter, her clumsy bubbliness. She honestly didn't know how she would hold up without her sister. "Anna, darling," the Queen said softly. "Anna, my love."


	5. The Love Storm

**Hello, everyone! Another chapter brought to you with love. Read and review. Enjoy! **

**XOXO**

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**The Love Storm**

Talking to Anna proved to be fuel for Elsa. She was determined to do whatever it took to go home as soon as possible. She talked with Regina, and they discussed books, objects, potions, anything that could serve their purpose. Meanwhile, she studied the ways of Storybrooke, wanting to see how they could help Arendelle. It was clear that Elsa had not wasted her isolation years: she was well-read in history, philosophy, science, and other topics; she could dance, draw, and play instruments. And, of course, she had been brought up to be a queen, and that was evident in every step she took and every word she said. Her conversations with Regina about government and administration left no doubt as to what she was capable of.

Emma was staying in Regina's house, due to Henry's growing fascination with Elsa and Emma's own refusal to give up her custody nights. If she wanted to be with Henry she would have to be with Regina. She didn't find the arrangement so unpleasant, after all Regina's cooking was as good as her sarcasm. And, curiously enough, Regina didn't seem upset, either. They had even exchanged a couple of smiles. Not bad at all.

One morning, during breakfast, the women saw Henry working in deep concentration, filling sheet after sheet of paper.

"I'm adding Elsa's story to the book," he explained. "Can you tell me how Anna is like? We need descriptions."

Elsa smiled and thought for a while, trying to come up with the perfect description. "Anna is... Anna is sweet, very sweet, and kind. She doesn't hesitate to sacrifice herself in order to protect someone she loves. She's bubbly and has the power to make you laugh, no matter what." Henry was dutifully taking notes. "She's optimistic, funny, and very smart. And she's passionate, but tender." When she spoke, Elsa brought her fingers to her neck, to where the love bite hid under a scarf. She didn't seem to notice, but Emma and Regina sure did. _Don't tell me it was her sister who gave her that,_ Regina thought. _What is going on there? _"Don't forget to add that she would have died to save me," finished Elsa.

"Don't forget the snowman, either", chimed in Emma, remembering the day with the mirror. "The snowman was cool."

Elsa laughed. "Olaf is such a sweetheart."

"How did you get him, though?"

"Oh, I built him."

"You can put life into what you create?" asked Regina, trying to hide her surprise. If so, this girl really did have big powers.

"Sometimes," admitted Elsa. "I wasn't thinking about that when I built him, I just… It was the first time in many years that I could use my powers without being afraid, and I… Anna and I liked to build snowmen, when we were little, and once we named one Olaf. I remembered, and thought it would be nice. Then he showed up in my palace, talking and jumping, fully alive. If I hadn't been so worried I would have laughed very much."

"And you designed him to like warm hugs?" Emma recalled Olaf's greeting.

"No, not exactly. But I guess he inherited a few things."

Emma grinned. "So _you_ like warm hugs."

Elsa smiled, a bit embarrassed. "Warm hugs are nice." A soft blush painted her cheeks. And her fingers were once again on her neck.

::::::::

A couple of days later Elsa decided to go to Gold's shop. Since Regina didn't want anything to do with him, Emma was appointed as Elsa's escort. They confirmed that Regina wasn't exaggerating when she said that going out would be difficult. Even though nobody had heard of Elsa, it was impossible for her to go unnoticed; she was the first newcomer since Storybrooke had welcomed some inhabitants from Neverland, and both her looks and the way she carried herself would have stood out anywhere. She attracted everybody's eyes wherever they went. Emma found herself approached by various people, who were trying to get all the details.

"Hey, who's the beauty queen?" Elsa was looking at the flowers displayed outside Game of Thorns, and didn't hear the man.

"She's a visitor."

"Is she single?"

"Hook! What about Tinker Bell? Aren't you guys dating?"

"Just asking, just asking. You know I have a thing for blondes."

When Elsa looked his way, Hook winked at her. Emma smacked his arm and reminded him again of his girlfriend.

"Besides," she said, remembering the hickey Elsa was covering with makeup, "I think she's actually taken."

Hook sighed in exaggerated disappointment, and Emma grabbed Elsa's arm, hurrying to the shop before Hook could make another move. When they arrived, Gold's face shone with pure satisfaction and delight.

"Elsa," he said, beaming. "You've finally decided to come. With a babysitter, but you're here. Welcome."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Quit playing, Gold. The girl wants to see if you can keep your promises. I've already told her that you don't even know what a promise is, but she insisted."

Gold smiled. With all the time they spent together, Emma had gotten a bit of Regina's humour. "Of course. This way."

Gold led them to the back part of his shop. Belle was cleaning the bookshelves and he eyed her with concern. They exchanged a few words, and Belle reassured him she was fine.

"Elsa, please allow me to introduce you to my wife, Belle. Belle, this is Elsa, the queen of Arendelle."

Belle greeted her with a warm smile. "Oh, so _you_ are Elsa. Rumple has told me about you. Welcome to Storybrooke."

"Thank you," said Elsa, shaking the hand Belle had held out. "And congratulations on your baby."

Belle smiled, caressing her big stomach. "Thanks. Any day now. Well, I'll be around, in case you need anything."

Elsa looked at Gold's wife. Besides the fact that she was hugely pregnant with his child, the girl looked at Gold with eyes of deep, undeniable love. What struck Elsa the most was that when their eyes met, Gold looked at Belle with just the same amount of devotion. _A man who loves his family so much can't be that bad,_ she thought. And she decided to trust him.

"You said you could help me," she said.

"Indeed I can.

"Tell me what you have in mind."

Gold noticed the firmness in the way she spoke; this was a woman used to close deals in trading, someone who knew about negotiation and who would demand a good offer suiting her interests. He chose his words very carefully. "This is a tricky task, but one we can achieve if we work in good cooperation. We're sadly out of beans and ruby slippers, so we'll need one of your belongings to create a portal. If you have anything you created with your magic, and brought here from Arendelle, that would be ideal. It would have traces of your power and be connected to the place you want to go."

Elsa thought for a while, and then remembered her earrings. Since she usually reserved full-ice clothing for special occasions, she liked to wear accessories conjured by herself –a necklace, a bracelet, a tiara. That fateful day she had produced a pair of earrings, which she had still had on when she fell through the portal. Luckily, she also happened to be wearing them that day. She took them off, blew on them so that they wouldn't melt without her contact, and handed them to Gold.

"Will this work?"

"I see no reason why it shouldn't."

He placed them on a piece of velvet and turned back to the queen. He sensed that she was starting to trust him and decided to do what he'd wanted for so long. He approached Elsa and, ever so softly, took her face in his hands, fingertips barely touching the girl's jawline. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, Emma could have sworn she saw greed.

"You are so powerful… What you do now is strong, but you could be greater still. You should definitely try to reach your full potential, Elsa, with a bit of guidance who knows what you could do." Gold tried his best to conceal the excitement. He'd known that she'd be worth it, but he hadn't expected something like _that_.

Seeing Elsa's discomfort, Emma stepped up. "Alright Gold, stop messing with her. When will we know if this plan of yours is working?"

"Very soon, I hope. I will let you know the moment I have something." _Even if this doesn't work, there are other ways,_ he thought.

Elsa looked him over, still unsure of what to think. Emma decided to intervene.

"Elsa, could you, uh, wait outside for a little bit? There's something I need to tell Gold."

Once Elsa had left, Emma walked up to Gold until they were only millimetres away.

"Listen," she said slowly. "If you try to trick Elsa, or hurt her in any way, you'll regret it."

"You have nothing to fear, Emma. Like you, I want only the best for her."

On their way out, Emma and Elsa saw Belle again. "I honestly don't know what you see in him," Emma told her. Belle rolled her eyes and laughed. She was in love beyond repair.

Back in the big house, they gave Regina a word-by-word recap of their meeting with Gold. She was completely convinced that he shouldn't be trusted, and made them both promise they would be on their guard. She had once sworn that no one else would ever be used as tool like she had, and meant to ensure no harm came to Elsa and Emma. She had grown oddly fond of Elsa, for she reminded her of herself at a younger age, but making better life choices, and as for Emma… well… she was her son's mother, wasn't she? That was enough to justify her concern for her.

Afterwards, Emma had to take Henry to her parents'; after a week without seeing her daughter and grandson, Snow was getting rather difficult. Regina used the time to talk to Elsa, from queen to queen, magic to magic.

"How do you do it?" Regina asked. "How can you look so _happy_ when using your powers?"

"It took a very long time. I was raised to be ashamed of myself, of what I could do. I was terrified, I hated myself. And then I discovered how very different things could be… I learned to feel different things."

"Anna?"

"What?"

"Your sister. She's your lucky one, isn't she?" Regina had finally connected the dots.

Elsa looked down, smiled, made a face, blushed and glowed, all at the same time. "Yes", she finally said. "She's my lucky one. You- you have to understand. She's all I have. The only one who truly knows me and my power. She taught me that love will thaw, she made me see there was nothing wrong with me or my magic. Thanks to her I was able to break free, once and for all. She's not afraid of me even though I _have_ hurt her. She trusts me, she knows who I am."

It definitely was something out of the ordinary, but Regina tried to see it through the girl's eyes. According to what Elsa had said, she had been kept away from her sister during thirteen years. They parted ways as little girls, and only reunited as women. Regina had seen Anna in the magic mirror and knew she was very pretty; Elsa was a beauty. If two beautiful girls who have barely talked to each other in more than a decade suddenly find themselves spending a lot of time together, things were bound to happen. Despite the strangeness of the relationship, Regina couldn't help being impressed by its strength. "You really do love her, don't you?"

Elsa nodded. "I love her and she loves me. What we have cannot ever be broken."

"Is that why you denied her permission to marry? You're jealous?"

"I… I cannot picture her with someone else. She doesn't need him. Yes, they like each other, but she would use him more as a cover so that no one would suspect about us. It would make her unhappy; she hates lying. It would ruin the relationship she has now with him, and I don't want that because it's good for her to have him. And like I told you before, she can't be tied down in any way, she's a free spirit. What he's asking of her is a full compromise she's not ready for. You… You don't think I'm a bad person for that, do you?"

Regina remembered the time she had tried to poison Emma so that Henry belonged exclusively to her. She knew the anguish, the fear, the desperation that could be felt when you were about to lose a loved one.

"No, I don't. I understand you, Elsa."

Looking for a topic that wouldn't make the girl look so sad, Regina brought up another question that was nagging her.

"Elsa, can you do any other magic besides the ice and snow?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like more… 'normal' magic." Regina waved her hand and a red rose appeared. She blew on it, and it dissolved in silver glitter.

"Oh, that. I don't think so. I've never tried but I'm fairly sure it's just the cold things."

"We should try, you know. I could teach you. You have great potential and could actually do something big."

Gold had also told her that, Elsa remembered. Potential, training… Why were they so interested in teaching her and getting her to do more? Was it genuine curiosity? Did they want to experiment on her? Were they trying to turn her into something they could use?

"I'll think about it. I'm still learning to work with _this _power."

They heard Emma and Henry's return. Elsa got up to greet them, then quickly sat down again. She looked pale, pale in a sickly way. The temperature in the room dropped dramatically.

"Elsa, what's the matter? Are you alright? Do you need anything?" Three people were surrounding her with concerned faces.

"No, I'm fine. I'm fine. I just felt a little dizzy, but it's gone now." She breathed heavily. "I don't know what happened, it was so sudden. And now nothing. It was so strange… But it's ok now."

Elsa did look perfectly healthy, and so the matter was forgotten. But a few streets from the Mayor's house, in the back of a shop, a pair of ice earrings glowed, carefully observed by a golden grin.


	6. The Unknown Storm

**Hello, beautiful people! Sixth chapter already! Thank you all for reading and reviewing. I love you very much. Enjoy!**

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**The Unknown Storm**

"Where's Elsa?"

"Upstairs. She wasn't feeling well."

"Again? Still? What does she say?" Emma was starting to worry.

"Sudden dizziness that comes and goes, funny feelings in the stomach." Though Regina's answers appeared to be careless, the Sheriff could tell that she too was concerned.

Yet Emma remembered sensations similar to those. "Do you think she might be pregnant? She has someone, doesn't she? Remember the, uh…" Emma pointed vaguely at her neck.

"No, I don't think so. There's no way, at least that I've heard of."

Regina explained to Emma what was going on between Elsa and her sister. Emma was a bit more surprised than Regina had been, but after two years of meeting fairy tale characters in her everyday life (and, indeed, being the daughter of two of them) there really wasn't much that could truly shock her.

"If that's what she wants…"

"At least she gets a happy ending," Regina agreed.

Emma looked at Regina. In these days she had got to see a new side of her, a side that the Mayor had only hinted at, before, hidden behind that harsh expression. Regina truly cared for Elsa, and Emma could see why: both queens were very alike, destined to reign, one way or another, but receiving power in the worst way possible. They had both been under terrible pressure by their parents, who had tried to protect them or prepare them for the world, but had instead crushed their self-esteem and feelings. Regina was deeply scarred by suffering, and Emma realized that she was trying to prevent Elsa from ending up like her.

"You're really helping that girl, aren't you?" said Emma, amazed.

"Does that surprise you, Miss Swan?"

"No. I always knew you had it in you. I'm just glad you're doing it."

_She believes in me_, Regina thought in surprise_._ Everybody had always been sure of her capacity to hurt and do evil things, and now the daughter of her worst enemy was saying that she knew her to be good. Noticing the Mayor's bewilderment,Emma smiled at her, and the gesture caught Regina off-guard. Elsa's words suddenly flashed in her head. _She's pretty_. She looked at Emma again. Like their guest, she was blonde, but her eyes were warmer. Her hair was naturally curled, and had various shades of golden and brown in it. If she dressed up more often… but then again, the awful clothes were part of Emma's identity. She wouldn't be herself without them. _But there was that red jacket…_

Anyway. There was something else, which Regina found more difficult to admit: Emma was pretty on the inside, too. She loved Henry more than her own life, and because of him she was trying to put aside all the hard feelings between her and Regina. Emma was trying, she was trying really hard.

"Regina, are you okay?" Emma had noticed her lost in thought.

"I just…" Regina exhaled. She spoke as fast as possible, before she could regret it. "Thanks for being here, for helping Elsa and Henry. I appreciate that."

Emma found herself staring at Regina again. When she tried to answer, she realized that she was stammering. "Regina, I… I do it for our son. He doesn't deserve to have his mothers permanently turned against each other. I want him to be happy. I have to give him that much."

Both women looked at each other, for a while unable to find the right words. Then they did.

"Emma-"

"Regina, I-"

Both had spoken at the same time, and one went silent so that the other could speak. There came an awkward silence, all courage now gone, and just as Emma's lips had parted again, they heard a car stop in front of the house. Emma looked out the window and quickly ran back to hide.

"Oh no. My mother." Emma buried her head in her arms and groaned. "I was supposed to call her last night and I completely forgot. She'll be mad at me. And I really, really don't want to talk to her right now. She was trying to make me tell her all about Elsa and I'm sure that if I do tell her the whole town will know everything within an hour… Oh no…"

For once, Regina took pity on her. "Don't worry. I'll handle it."

But Emma didn't hear Regina's reassurance, because when she said those words the Mayor had placed a hand on her shoulder and patted it softly. Emma stared at her own skin while Regina dealt with her mother.

"Yes, Snow?"

"I want to see my daughter."

"That's great. I'm glad you do. Anything else you wanted to tell me?"

"Regina, please, let me talk to her. I know she's here."

"No, she's not. She left earlier this morning. If you're her mother you should be aware of where your daughter is. I suggest you try to be better informed."

"I know Emma is staying here, and I haven't seen her in days. And all because of this… girl. Who is she, Regina? Why such secrecy, what are you planning?"

Regina was determined not to tell Snow anything; she knew only too well about her inability to keep any kind of secret. "Whatever I do with my life is none of your business, let alone what my guests do with theirs. You wanted to see Emma, I'm telling you that she's not here. It's not my fault that you lose track of your own daughter so easily. She'll call you when she feels like it, ok? Oh, and tell your Charming that it's not very prince-like to stay safely in the car while his little princess deals with the Evil Queen." She saw Snow's never-useful husband in the distance, hidden in the car just like his daughter was hidden behind the kitchen counter, and smirked. Charming looked positively intimidated.

With no more ways to fight Regina, the Charmings left. As soon the door closed Emma returned to the living room and sighed in relief. Regina couldn't help but laugh at the silliness of the whole episode. Another laugh joined hers –Elsa was coming downstairs, looking healthy again and very amused. She had probably witnessed the whole scene, and was now teasing Emma about her panic.

"Feeling better?" Emma asked her.

"Yes. It comes and goes, and then it's like it never happened. It's so strange." Elsa looked genuinely confused.

Emma's phone beeped and after a quick check she shared the news.

"Guess what? Belle's in labour."

"Are you sure?" Regina asked.

"Yeah. Ruby just texted me saying that she's with her."

"Well, that will keep Gold busy for a while. Can't believe that Imp is reproducing again. Baelfire was a disaster."

Elsa remembered the pretty, lovely brunette she had met at the shop, and wondered how such a strange couple had occurred.

Emma fully agreed with her. "Belle is one of the kindest, smartest girls you'll ever meet, but her taste in men leaves a lot to be desired. I swear I'll never understand, ever."

Regina rolled her eyes at Emma's comment. "Well, yours isn't especially refined, is it?"

Both women continued arguing while Elsa observed and studied them. One was constantly watching the other, but avoiding actual eye contact. It seemed to her that they used sarcasm and irony not to attack each other, but to measure the reactions, to see how far one could go with the other. When their eyes did meet, one would immediately look away. Elsa thought of Anna, and all the hidden looks it had taken for them to see what they were feeling. And then the explosion, the instant when, face to face, they understood everything. She couldn't help but remember the nights, the evenings, the mornings, tangled in the silky sheets of their bed. All the places, the moments, the ways, that they had loved each other and-

She stopped. The door she had been leaning on was completely frosted, and so was a big part of the floor around her. Guess self-control and thinking of Anna's body didn't get along very well. But the point was, she knew the agony of waiting and not daring to do it, and she knew the bliss that came once you put yourself together. She looked at Emma and Regina again, and decided they needed a little push. With a naughty smile she set on to make it happen.

::::::

A few hours later, well into the evening, Emma's phone beeped again.

"Ruby again. Looks like Belle just had a baby girl."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why, Emma, now you have a sister-in-law."

Emma's eyes were huge. "Oh, no, Regina, no no no no no. There's nothing between Neal and I anymore, nothing at all. You know that. I'd rather be with y- with anyone else. Neal hurt me a lot, and I would never go through that again."

_Men_, thought Elsa. _They're all such jerks._ She had never met one worth keeping: one had her locked up for thirteen years, another had sent more men to murder her, another had _also_ tried to kill her, and yet another was now thinking he could charm Anna away from her. And from what she had seen, men in Storybrooke weren't much better. She felt herself getting quite angry at the thought of the opposite sex. To relax, she decided to go play around with her power in the garden. Just tiny snowflakes here and there to let off steam. But when she tried, the dizziness came back, and with it an empty feeling in her chest, which brought a horrifying realization.

Elsa returned to the living room, trying her hardest to walk steadily and stop the trembling of her body.

"Regina?" she said softly.

Regina looked at her and immediately knew something was wrong. Elsa was very pale, a paleness that came both from illness and terror.

"My powers… my powers aren't working."

And then she fainted.


	7. The Unmasked Storm

**Hello, darlings! Welcome to another chapter of Storms Inside. Thank you all so much for your support, it really means a lot. Enjoy!**

**XOXO**

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**The Unmasked Storm**

"Anna…. Anna… I've got you… it was an accident… Papa, please…"

The Queen of Arendelle was talking in her sleep again. She had spent most of the night feverish and rambling, but this was the first time Emma detected such anguish in her voice. Who knew what the girl had been through, that in sleep she lost the composure and queenly dignity to give way to the painful cries of a child.

Emma decided to wake her up and comfort her. The moment she touched her shoulder Elsa awoke with a start.

"An- Oh!"

"Shh, it's ok, Elsa. It's me, Emma."

"Hey… I just… was I talking? I'm so sorry."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Elsa. How are you feeling?"

"Better, I think. But let me see if…" Elsa waved her fingers and a tiny trail of snowflakes made its way around her hand. She smiled. Then the movement was sharper, and half the room was covered in ice. She grinned. "It's back."

She was already getting up and searching for something to wear. "There is so much to do today. I really need to figure out what is going with my ice, and then see if there's any progress with the portal thing, and also-"

"Elsa, you really should take it easy today."

"Oh, no, no, I've been enough of a nuisance already, I need to do something useful. Look, Emma, I'm not sick. This is something else. My power has never failed, never. I've been ill before, but the magic stays. There is more to whatever is happening to me, and I have to know. Is Regina home?"

"She took Henry to school, but she'll be back any moment."

"Great, I need to talk with her. And… so do you." A smile appeared on Elsa's lips, putting her own worries aside for a moment.

"I do?"

"Yes. When will you tell her?"

"Tell her what?"

"Why, that you're in love with her," said Elsa, innocently brushing her hair.

Emma panicked. "What!? No, I'm not! No no no no, it's not like that, I don't feel that way about Regina, I swear."

Elsa arched an eyebrow and Emma felt her piercing blue eyes look into her very soul. _Jeez, if she can be this intimidating when sick, I don't want to see her full-on angry_.

"I-I…" Emma stammered. _What are you doing, you fool! You're not in love with her, repeat it, you're not in love with Regina, you-_

"Emma?" Regina called from downstairs, back after dropping Henry at school.

Elsa laughed happily. "Look at you, Emma," she said, pointing at the mirror. "Look at your eyes when you hear her voice. You haven't realized it yet, but you feel something for her, you want her. And… I think she likes you, too."

"She does?" asked Emma, and realized how stupidly hopeful she'd sounded.

Elsa flashed her all-knowing smile again. "Guess there's only one way to find out."

She opened the door and joined Regina in the kitchen, followed by a very blushing Emma. Regina was relieved to see Elsa strong again, and during breakfast she offered an update on the plans.

"I'm going to pay a visit to Gold," she said. "I'm sure he's behind what's happening to you."

"You think so?" Emma found it hard to believe that someone would deliberately hurt a creature like Elsa. Even someone like Gold.

But Regina was convinced. "I know so. Come on, Miss Swan, where is your super special anti-lying talent? You know him, you saw him when he came here to see Elsa. And you know what he's capable of."

Elsa nodded slowly. "He was too interested. And he knows about my sister, how? He's definitely up to something."

"So you believe that this is Gold's doing, too?" Emma asked her.

"I don't see anyone else that could have done it," said Elsa. "This something from the outside, done by someone very powerful. My power has never weakened in my whole life, though my parents did everything they could think of to stop it. If it's failing now it has to be a very careful piece of work done by someone who knows. Who has the ability, except him?"

"I'm glad we agree on that," said Regina. "Now the question is why, and what he actually wants by hurting you."

Regina instructed Emma to look after Elsa while she went over to Gold's shop. The Queens discussed whether it would be prudent for Elsa to go, but in the end decided she should stay as far from him as possible; there was enough damage already. There was another reason, which Regina didn't share: she longed for the chance to confront Rumpelstiltskin face to face without anybody else's intervention; she wanted the joy of being the one to unmask him.

She stormed into the place and found him waving a crystal unicorn in front of the pink-wrapped bundle in Belle's arms. He had the nerve to enjoy his family when he had destroyed so many others. Regina walked directly toward them, grabbed Gold by the sleeve, and pulled him along.

"I'm sorry, Belle," she said as she essentially dragged him. "It really is nothing against you or your girl."

When they were alone Regina wasted no time.

"What have you done to her?"

Gold looked at her, unfazed. "I've no idea what you're talking about. Who's 'her'?"

"Don't bullshit me, Rumpelstilstkin, you know fully well what and who I'm talking about. You're doing something to Elsa, ever since she set foot in this shop you have somehow got hold on her. She's very sick."

"Is she?" Gold looked genuinely surprised.

"She's been weakening with each passing minute. At this rate she could even die."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Pretty girl, quite special. But what makes you think all that is my fault? Maybe she just caught a cold."

Regina growled. They might both be equals in magic, but no one could replicate her kind of anger. "Enough pretending, crocodile. _Her magic is failing_, as I'm sure you are aware of. Yesterday she tried it and couldn't get anything. She's better today, and her powers are back, so whatever you're trying isn't so effective. But what _is_ it, Gold? What are you doing to her? You're not helping her find a portal, are you?"

"Yes I am. But later… after I'm done with a few things."

"You little, worthless liar. You want to use her! You want to use her and her power just like you did with me. But let me tell you this, Imp: she's not alone."

Something shifted in Gold's face, a gesture where determination met cynical acceptance and a kind of perverse satisfaction.

"In this, she is. This whole thing is between Elsa and me, and there's nothing you can do to help her. The less you try to intervene, the easiest this process will be for everyone."

Finally, Regina understood. How could she not realize before? The Dark One, the Seer, those were all abilities he had taken from someone else. Elsa was his next objective. "You want her power. You would take that away from her!"

"The girl herself says that her power has always been a curse in her life. I'm sure she'll even appreciate this little favour."

"Favour? You'll steal the one thing that has ever given her any identity. It's her magic, Gold, and hers alone. What if she dies, uh?"

"I don't think she will. Of course, severing the tie between her own self and the power she was born with will be a complicated transition, but she'll make it. And trust me, she'll even be grateful afterwards."

Regina shook her head, too furious to speak. Then something else dawned in her.

'…_says that her power has always been a curse…' _

'…_he knows about my sister, how?'_

Oh no. He couldn't have. He was more twisted than she had ever imagined. "_You brought her here._ You were the one who opened the portal! You did it! Why, why such cruelty, why?"

Gold waved his hand like it was all an unimportant matter. "Yes, yes, I brought her. How could you think that such magic, in any realm, would go unnoticed by me? I've been waiting for the right moment to do this and it's arrived, so I now give you back what you always tell me: what I do is none of your business. Anyway, I'm afraid I've already started, so even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to stop it, and neither can you. Besides… oh, come on Regina, don't _you_ want her?"

"What do you mean?"

Gold allowed himself a little smile. "All I'm saying is that she's remarkably talented. And hers is white magic, something neither you nor I know much about. Don't you feel a little curious? ... A little envious?"

"How dare you say such a thing?"

"Because I know you. You and I are very alike, Regina dearest. You wish your own magic was as pure as hers, that it made you feel the same. You long for a taste of clean, innocent magic. If you help me, we could figure something out that benefits both of us."

Regina didn't even think before acting. She slapped Gold as hard as she could. When she saw the red mark of her hand on his face, she wondered why she'd taken so long.

"Don't ever suggest a thing like that again."

Gold didn't seem in the least bothered by the blow. On the contrary, he found it rather amusing. "Why do you care so much about her? What special interest do you have in our little friend?"

_Because she's me before you appeared. And I won't let you get her like you got me._ "My reasons are my own. But if I were you I would get this fixed as soon as possible. We don't want Belle's daughter to come to any harm, do we?"

For the first time, Gold's voice turned truly menacing. "You touch my daughter and you'll wish you'd never been born, Regina. What is this to you? Let me do as I please and nothing will happen to anyone. We can all win."

"No. That's not true. _You_ are going to lose."

With one last disdainful, hatred-filled look, Regina turned around and headed for the door. She saw Belle, holding her baby. How much did she know about this? Was she an accomplice, or still just the kind, sweet, smart, but stupidly in love girl she had once met on a road in the Forest? Regina asked if she could see the baby: a beautiful little thing who had her mother's looks. For a moment she felt bad about the threat she had made, but it was necessary. Gold knew no mercy, no kindness, no prudence. Regina looked at Belle again, and just had to say it,

"You really, really have awful taste in men."


	8. The Dark Storm

**Hello Snowflakes! Eighth chapter, and venturing a little into Darkland, let's see what happens. Enjoy!**

**XOXO**

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**The Helpless Storm**

Breaking the news to Elsa turned out to be harder for Regina than for Elsa herself. The Queen of Arendelle had seen it coming, for she was used to betrayal and people wanting to hurt her for the fun of it. Yet expecting it hadn't prevented her from being furious. It angered her to no end that she'd fallen for the trick with the earrings, and blamed herself for the entire crisis.

Neither Regina nor Emma could convince her to stay in the house. The Queen was determined to work things out for herself and was not one to wait around to be saved.

"This problem is mine, Regina shouldn't have to fix it on her own. I cannot forget my duties and responsibilities." She had fully recovered her strength, at least for the moment, and was firing angry icicles all over the place. "I'm going to get him, I'm going to show him."

Together they went through all they could think of -remedies, spells, people, anyone and anything that could help.

"We could try fairy dust to keep you going until we fix whatever is wrong," suggested Emma. The dust was strong, as long as you believed.

"Fairy dust? Can we get it here?"

"Yes. There's a mine under the town, and the dwarves dig it out. We've got dwarves, too. We can go talk to them. Fairy dust might make you strong enough to resist Gold's magic."

"Will they agree?" asked Regina. Fairies and dwarves were known to be difficult.

"I'll try to deal with them. Their one aim in life is to please my parents, and what makes me happy makes _them_ happy. The dwarves will agree to this. But they'll need to see you, Elsa. Come on, let's go."

Emma found out that everyone was gathered in her parents' house, for some merry gathering she hadn't even been invited to. Elsa waited right outside the living room while Emma talked to everybody.

"Hey there," she said.

The room went silent and looked at her.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't our own Emma Swan," began Granny. "We thought you no longer lived in Storybrooke, we hadn't seen you in so long…"

"You didn't bring Regina? I thought you guys went everywhere together. BFFs no longer?"

Happy chuckled. "What, she's too busy guarding her new little pet?" The rest of the dwarves laughed along.

Emma couldn't take the teasing anymore. "Stop it! You have no right to talk to me like that. Things are difficult at the moment, and Regina and I need to work together, or very bad stuff will happen to all of us. And I mean _all _of us. If I'm here it's because we need you guys as well, not because I want to pick a fight. And I also didn't come to hear you all talk shit about Regina. I can't believe you're so ungrateful! Bet you didn't have indoor plumbing back in your land! Bet you didn't have electricity, cars, or telephones. All of that you got when Regina brought you here. More than half this town, who never knew Regina and never interacted with her, have now a better lifestyle because of what she did. You don't see everything she's done, no, you're set on demonizing her and you just _can't open your eyes_! She's kind. She's understanding. She's _good_.

"You're also talking about a girl you've never even met. You don't know what she has gone through, and all that awaits her. But Regina does, and Regina has been helping her! She's treated that girl better than any mother would! And-" Emma realized she had been shouting, and took a deep breath to calm down. "What I want to say is, Regina is doing a lot of good for that kid. You're judging both of them wrongly. You can't be that unfair, guys, we need your help."

She then turned to the dwarves. "And, FYI, the 'pet' is here."

Elsa walked into the room, face perfectly composed despite having heard the whole scene. She went to where Emma stood and gave her hand a quick squeeze of thanks. All eyes were fixed on the two blondes, trying to figure out the bizarre situation.

Emma began to explain the problem as clearly as she could, which was a difficult task given the many twists and turns, and the many interruptions from her audience. They demanded a proof of Elsa's power, and it took every ounce of self-control from the queen not to freeze someone on the spot as her demonstration. Finally, they got to the point about the dust. They needed the dwarves to dig some out, or maybe the fairies could share from their supply. It was important to stop Elsa's crisis and the malfunctions of her talent so that Gold couldn't break her down so quickly. And also (though this Emma didn't say) to make sure Elsa made it out alive.

"She's living with Regina. Can we trust her? What if she wants the dust for something else?"

"Oh, stop it, Blue," intervened Ruby. "Look at her. She wants to go home and she needs us. We have all fallen into Gold's traps at some point or other, we know how that feels like. Are we just gonna leave her on her own? Come on! Besides, I smell nothing wrong with her. She really needs the help."

Lots of looks were exchanged among wolves and fairies, princesses, princes and dwarves, but finally Grumpy and Blue agreed to help. They promised they would check the supplies of fairy dust and bring Elsa some as soon as possible.

Emma was pulled by her parents for a quick update on her life, and though her eyes begged for rescue no one dared upset Snow. While Elsa waited for her a new person appeared by her side.

"Hi."

Elsa looked up to find a young man, good-looking but not so well dressed. He looked like a pirate who's been through one battle too many. However, his eyes twinkled with a naughty spark.

"Captain Hook at your service, ma'am," the man said with a bow. An actual pirate, then.

Elsa held out her hand. Hook took it and kissed it without leaving the Queen's eyes.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle," she said, somewhat annoyed by the pirate's arrogance.

"A queen," he said, still smiling. "I've never felt too much appreciation for royalty, but I believe I could make an exception now."

Elsa rolled her eyes. She was used to people hitting on her, and it was something she and Anna would laugh about afterwards. No one could ever take her redhead princess' place.

"I saw you the other day, with Emma," he continued. "You were headed for Mr. Gold's shop. He's a crocodile."

Elsa looked around, unsure of what to say, and somewhat intimidated by the hook that replaced one of his hands. Luckily for her, Ruby sensed her discomfort and found a way to quickly drag Hook away from her. She'd barely had time to sigh in relief when someone else approached her. Elsa remembered the girl, one of the fairies, who had looked at her with mistrust but hadn't spoken so openly against her, like Blue. She was shorter than her, had her blonde hair done up in a messy bun, and was now crossing her arms in not a very friendly manner.

"Hey," the fairy said.

"Hello. Tinker Bell, right?"

"Yes. Look Elsa, uh, I don't mean to be rude, but… er, I really want to be clear on this. Hook is with me. Even if he flirts with you or tries to propose anything, the guy is with me."

Elsa controlled the urge to laugh; it didn't seem as if Tinker Bell had a sense of humour. "You have nothing to fear from me, I promise. He doesn't interest me in the least." She had tried to be reassuring, but Tinker Bell still wasn't convinced.

"Good. But I would just like you to keep in mind that he has a girlfriend."

"I wouldn't forget a thing like that," said Elsa smiling, and then leaned forward to whisper in Tink's ear. "I have one, too."

When she looked at Tinker Bell again, the fairy's face had gone red as a tomato.

"Oh… sorry… I never imagined… I mean, you don't look like a… well, in that case…"

"It's ok, don't worry about anything. Your boyfriend is safe from me."

Emma managed to free herself from her parents, and before Elsa could say anything else Emma had taken her hand and was dragging her out of the place. Soon, they were running.

"Oh God," laughed Emma. "I really can't stand that people."

::::::::::

All in all, the visit had gone well, and they were expecting some fairy dust to be ready the next morning. Elsa suggested preparing a special dinner, just to keep spirits high, an idea that pleased her companions. The three of them set to cook, exchanging recipes from Arendelle and Storybrooke, and even the Enchanted Forest.

When everything was ready and the table was set, Emma and Regina realized that Elsa had only considered places for two.

"Everything's ready! Well then… see you later," she said.

"What? Aren't you dining with us?"

Elsa smiled, the plan she'd had all along finally coming to light. "Oh no. This is only for the two of you. You have so much to talk about. Have fun, ladies." That said, the Queen walked away.

Emma and Regina looked at each other, bewildered by Elsa's words. Not knowing what else to do, they sat at the table.

"So…"

"So…"

"You, um…. You look good today, Emma." The red jacket was back on, along with a pair of velvet pants the Sheriff had worn under Elsa's insistence. The girl had even insisted on doing her hair. _The little devil knew this all along…_

"I do? So do you. I mean, you always do, but, uh, I..." Blushing, Emma decided to open the wine bottle and shut her mouth.

"She's a piece of work, that one," Regina commented, nodding at the general direction in which Elsa had left. Then she tried a bite of Emma's first ever attempt at roast potatoes and had to momentarily close her eyes. "Emma, this is delicious."

Emma sipped at the wine, her face burning. "You taught me once, remember? When Henry was staying at my place and you didn't want him to get food poisoning."

"I didn't think you were listening."

"Regina, I always listen to you. It's just that sometimes I'm foolish and clumsy."

Regina laughed quietly. "Not that clumsy anymore, thank God. And you've never been foolish, Emma. You're one of the smartest people I've ever known."

Regina fixed her eyes on Emma in a way that made the Sheriff tingle all over. No one had ever looked at her like that. She met Regina's gaze and thought there was a touch of red in the Mayor's cheeks. Emma poured more wine for both and held up her glass. Regina met it with a soft click.

Very tentatively, Emma's fingers made their way to the hand Regina had placed on the table. Regina didn't say anything. Emma advanced. Regina drank more wine, fixing her eyes on Emma's as she did. Daring her. Emma placed her hand on Regina's. Softly. Slowly. Regina didn't move hers. They looked at each other. They smiled.

:::::::::::::

Elsa had prepared the moment with utmost care. She left them alone, but watched hidden behind a wall until they were both seated, in case one of them would get scared and try to run away. To her joy, neither did, and soon they were oblivious to everything else. Satisfied with her work, Elsa gave the women some privacy and headed for the garden. She decided to play for a while with her power, now that she had no idea how much longer it would be hers. As she saw the snowflakes swirl and spiral all around the place, she felt an unexpected joy. She loved it, loved who she was and what she could do. It had taken her many years of pain to accept herself, and she would never, ever give it up.

"Good evening, Elsa."

The voice startled her. She looked for the source until she detected a shape hidden in the darkness. It was the pirate, Hook.

"Those are pretty things," he said, gesturing at the glittering snow. "I like them better with you than with Gold. Don't let him take it from you."

He stepped into the garden. Elsa thought about calling for Emma or Regina, but she didn't want to break their moment. She could deal with the pirate on her own.

"I see your nannies aren't here," he continued, approaching her. "Good. I was hoping to catch you alone."

"What do you want?" she demanded as the temperature dropped dramatically.

"My Tink told me you wouldn't care for me 'cause you're a les," he began, "so I came here to prove I can change your mind."

He took one more step towards her. Elsa decided to run back into the house, or at least somewhere with more light and less pirates. Before she could, however, he'd caught her by the waist.

The arm he had around her was the one with the hook, and it dug painfully into her skin. "Let me go," she hissed.

He only pulled her closer. "I can really make you change your view about girls and boys. You won't regret it." He brushed his fingertips across her cheek. "Don't be scared, Elsa. I won't hurt you. You're going to love it."

His words brought back memories of another place, another time, another person. The plea was out of her mouth before she could catch herself.

"Hans, please, stop. Stop."

A short, dry laugh. "The name's Hook, darling."

"Get off me," she growled, anger and ice creeping up around the whole place.

"Come on, Elsie. It's just a harmless bit of fun. Try a guy for a change?"

But only one person was allowed to call her Elsie; only one person was allowed to hold her so tight and whisper so softly. And it wasn't Captain Hook.

"I said get off me!" A wave of Elsa's power pushed the pirate away. He rolled on the grass, clutching his arm, and Elsa realized there was a big icicle dug in it.

"I… I'm…" she trailed off. She wasn't exactly sorry, she couldn't be after what he'd tried to do to her, but stabbing him with ice hadn't been her exact intention, either. She waved her hand to make it disappear, and saw with horror that a dozen more fell all around Hook, a couple of them leaving shallow scratched on his face. She looked at her hands. She was losing control over her powers again, but this time it was as if they had a mind of their own.

Hook removed the icicle from his arm, and wrapped a handkerchief around the wound. He got up, shook the pieces of ice off him, and grinned at her.

"You're a fiery one, blondie… but you're worth it. I will wait for you."

He jumped the fence into the street and Elsa finally ran into safety, hoping no one would notice her, or the random patches of ice she left on her way.


	9. The Soft Storm

**Hello everybody! Thanks for bearing with me until now. Long chapter, but I really wanted to get all this off my chest. I hope you don't find it too boring.**

**XOXO**

**The Soft Storm**

Elsa said nothing about the episode with Hook. The morning after Emma and Regina looked so happy that she didn't have the heart to tell them and ruin their moment. She could handle it. _Conceal, don't feel._

Later that day, Regina had to go to her office to do some Mayor stuff. This gave Emma a much-wanted opportunity to discuss some things that had been burning her since last night and which only Elsa could help with. She found the girl in the kitchen and accepted her offer of a good cup of chocolate Arendelle-style.

"Anna's recipe," explained Elsa. "She spent a whole week working on it. It's marvellous."

While Elsa searched for ingredients there was a knock on the door. Emma went to answer and when she returned, she had a small package in her hands.

"Your fairy dust has arrived," she announced. "Blue says you can sprinkle it on beverages or take it directly. She says no more than a pinch a day or you'll end up flying into the sweet Storybrooke sky."

"Thank you so much. Let's hope this works. I need to be strong." Elsa proceeded to add the dust to one of the mugs. "Oh, look, it makes it all sparkly and pretty," she giggled.

Emma and Elsa sat on the sofa, and Emma watched as the girl began to drink. Sure enough, after a few sips colour was returning to her cheeks.

"You already look better."

"I do feel better. You know, I should take a barrel of this back to Arendelle, to face whatever's coming. Who knows what I'm going to find? My kingdom must be in pieces by now, queen-less and fragile. I know Anna must be doing everything she can to keep it together, but there's always so much to do..." Elsa sighed, and to Emma she looked extremely, extraordinarily, enormously tired.

"Elsa, how old are you?"

"Twenty-one."

"You're too young to have the world on your shoulders. You're like Regina. You both have a place and people to rule, you have expectations to fulfil as women and authorities, and on top of that you have magic. And you both demand even more of yourselves, more than all the others do. I mean, I know you have huge responsibilities, but don't you think you worry too much?"

A half-smile appeared on Elsa's face. "Anna says the same. But Arendelle is still fragile. When our parents died I wasn't of age yet, and a council ruled for three years. Then, when I was going to be crowned, I thought it would be easy to stabilize the situation, but all hell broke loose that night. And now… my people don't know if they can fully trust me, and some kingdoms have decided not to. In the eyes of so many I'm a threat, or a sorceress, or an evil force of some kind. And no one knows about me and Anna yet. When that is known there'll be another huge scandal, maybe even worse. I _have_ to worry, or else everything goes down."

Elsa's fingers were twitching, and she bit her lip. Emma placed a hand on Elsa's and smiled reassuringly. Elsa looked up and smiled back, for an instant looking again like a little girl, the way she'd looked when she'd been sick.

Emma finally gathered the courage to approach the topic she needed help with.

"Hey, uh, could I ask you something kinda personal? I don't mean to pry or be nosy, but, er, I'd just like to ask."

"Go ahead."

Emma coughed and stammered before asking. "What's it like? Being with a girl?"

"Being with a girl?" Elsa looked puzzled.

"You know… doing _it_, having…"

"Oh, that." Elsa blushed deeply. "The frick frack."

"The what?"

"Frick frack. That's how we call it, Anna and me." Elsa began to fidget with a strand of her hair.

Emma laughed. "Wait, so you're having sex with a girl, who also happens to be your sister, and you refer to it as if you were in preschool?"

Elsa smiled, still red as Regina's apples. "What can I say? There wasn't any sex education for Arendelle's princesses. We were only taught to smile and conceal, look pretty and be courteous. The rest we had to figure out for ourselves."

"And how is it? I mean, the figuring out?"

Elsa bit her lip again. "It's, um, quite satisfying. A girl is soft, delicate, and that's how you should treat her. Sometimes she'll surprise you, though. Sometimes she'll make you bless the day you were born. With a girl, you understand each other. But be gentle at first. Test the ground. You'll find your own rhythm in due time, but it's something you have to develop together. Why do you ask?"

"Just because."

"Sure?" Elsa arched an eyebrow.

"Very sure." Emma hurriedly changed the focus back to Elsa. "So you've never had a guy? Liked a guy? You've never been attracted to guys?"

Elsa stopped to consider. "Oh, well, I'd never given it much thought, but I don't believe so. No, never. I didn't talk to anyone for a very long time, and even now that I have freedom I'm not interested in men. I see them at parties and meetings, but that's it. Some of them are nice, I'll admit that, but no one has truly caught my attention."

"So it's always been girls for you."

Elsa nodded. "It's always been girls." After a pause, she amended, "No, it's always been _her_. It's always been Anna. My feelings for her have developed and changed over the years, and so have hers for me, but we have always loved each other more than anything in the world. No man will ever come between us."

"But didn't she try to get married? A couple of times?"

"The first one was a terrible experience for everyone, and she realized how much she was rushing into it. And with Kristoff, I do see that they have a special relationship, but it's not that kind of love. At least not on her part, though it might be different for him. She adores him, but I can tell her affection resembles more comradeship that actual romance. Maybe she thought she could have us both, but I'm not sharing her with anyone," Elsa laughed. "What about you? You must have had a guy, you have Henry."

"Yeah… There have been a few, but… I have always regretted it. Not one was worth the time. There was the moment when I thought I'd found the one, and it turned out even worse. Henry's dad did a lot of harm to me."

"Who was he?"

"His name is Neal. He's Gold's son."

Elsa laughed again. "Seriously? _Gold's son?_"

"I didn't know! I honestly had no idea because he never cared to share such things with me, although he knew everything I was and did. Of course, now it all makes perfect sense: how he acted, how he ran away. Rumple's son. They're both cowards."

"Men," Elsa groaned.

"Men," Emma agreed.

When Regina arrived home, they shared the good news about the fairy dust. She was glad, but warned them about Blue's constant double-crossing and what she defined as 'backstabbing'.

Something else was in the Mayor's top-priorities list. Regina was looking for a way to get a moment of privacy with Elsa, a one-on-one talk. First chance she had, she dispatched Emma to pick apples from the garden, and went immediately to the girl.

"Hey, Elsa."

"Yes?"

"May I ask you something? Something rather personal? I don't mean to be offensive, but…" Regina couldn't even meet Elsa's eyes. But she had to ask.

The blonde smiled, seeing it coming. "Sure."

"What is it like, being with a girl?"

**::::::**

Belle was putting her daughter to sleep. She'd had a healthy girl, strong, beautiful, and she was immensely grateful for the blessing of motherhood. But there was one thing darkening her joy. She had been thinking over and over about what her husband was doing. He hadn't told her anything, anything at all, and she only found out when he had sent her with the message for Elsa. Who was this girl? Why was Rumple so set in hurting her?

When she had finally confronted him, Rumple had sworn that she and their baby would be safe. But what was safety, in the light of Rumple's actions? How could she stay passively to the side and just watch as someone innocent suffered? She might be safe, but she felt tied.

He wasn't home, and she instinctively knew he wasn't in the shop, either. He had been working nonstop these days. These days and many more, she realized. If she really thought about it, he'd been acting funny for weeks, maybe _months_. She had just been too busy carrying and birthing his child to notice. A new worry hit her. _Oh no. Did he plan it all that way?_ Had he taken advantage of her pregnancy to do this, knowing she wouldn't be paying as much attention as she usually did? He must have surely known she'd be against this plan. He had evaded her questions, and essentially treated her like a child. How long had he been plotting this terrible idea?

_Ok, Belle, think. Think like you used to. _She decided to pull herself together once and for all. She wasn't some fragile porcelain doll and she couldn't believe she'd allowed to be treated as such. Where was the Belle who never sat around to wait for things to happen? When had she become this docile girl? She took her daughter and headed out the door to Regina's house.

This time it was Elsa who answered the door, and Belle felt some of her courage leave in sight of the very person her husband was trying to destroy.

"Hello," she began. "I'm Belle. I don't know if you remember me, but we met in the shop, I'm-"

"Mr. Gold's wife. Of course I remember you. Come in."

When Emma and Regina saw her, they looked at each other and got up.

"We'll leave you alone, ladies," said Emma, and both headed upstairs.

Now that she was only with Elsa, Belle could relax a little. No matter how this queen reacted, she would never scare her as much as the other. Moreover, Elsa was now smiling warmly at her and gesturing at the seat right beside her.

"So," said Elsa. "How can I help you?"

"Elsa, I just wanted to say that I'm really, really, really sorry about what's happening to you. I had no idea of what Rumple was planning, and believe me, I have no part in that. I don't know what I can do to prove you how much this situation upsets me, but I want you to know that…" What? What did she want to say? What _could_ she say? Was there any excuse or justification?

Yet Elsa understood. "It's ok, don't you worry. I'm sure none of this is your fault. You have no idea how I appreciate your coming here and saying this. You looked so supportive of Mr. Gold that I didn't quite know what to think."

"I love him, but that doesn't blind me to what he's doing to you. I wish I could tell you what is going on, what to make of all this, but I'm just as clueless as you are, maybe even more. But believe me, if I knew how to help you, I would."

"Thank you. I assure you that neither you nor your baby are in any danger from me. In fact, I think it's better that you've stayed out of this. You're the most innocent in this problem, and shouldn't risk yourselves." Elsa placed a hand on Belle's. "We'll sort it out."

Belle's child moved, and Elsa's attention was immediately drawn to her. She leaned forward to get a better look at the little face under the blanket.

"Your daughter is beautiful. May I hold her?

"Sure."

Belle placed the baby in Elsa's arms, amazed at how kind she was. The Queen's touch was so gentle that the baby didn't notice the change.

"Hey, girlie," cooed Elsa, her face all lit up. The baby looked right back at her, little grey eyes full of curiosity and wonder. "How will you call her?"

"We haven't decided yet. We'd like something connected to the Enchanted Forest, but she'll need something more functional if she's to live in this world. Names from our land stand out here. We'll have to think about it, I guess."

Elsa touched the baby's head. "Oh, she's adorable. You know, I've always wanted one."

"Really? Are you married? Are you with anyone?"

"It's just my sister and me," Elsa preferred not to go into the details. "At the moment, it looks quite impossible that I can have a baby of my own." At least that much was true. "But I want it so badly!"

Belle smiled. "All in due time. Motherhood will come when you are ready for it, and it will be the most amazing experience you can get. I have no doubt your children will be beautiful, Elsa, and you'll make a great mom."

Elsa found herself at a loss for words. This was the sweetest girl she had ever met, someone who seemed to trust her and believe in her completely, who was freely sharing her most precious treasure with her, why did she have to be the wife of her current worst enemy? Elsa caught in Belle's eyes the same innocence that she had seen many times in Anna's, and understood what the problem was. _She trusts too much. Just like she now trusts me, she trusts Gold. Once she takes a liking to someone she blindly believes in them. That can be her undoing._

Belle's daughter made a tiny sound, and Elsa went back to the wonder that little thing was. She shook her fingers and snow appeared. A tiny trail, which swirled around and formed many shapes – a star, a snowman, a bird. The baby looked delighted and enraptured by the magic.

"Your power is so beautiful," commented Belle. "It's so… you. No matter what, it's yours."

"Thank you. It really does mean a lot." To see her power accepted, understood, and even admired, meant the world to Elsa.

"Well, I guess I'll leave now. It's been a pleasure talking to you, Elsa."

"Same. Please don't forget that you and your daughter are welcome any time."

Belle walked home stronger and more alive than she'd felt in ages. She was back.

:::::::::::

At night, Elsa asked Regina to try the mirror contact again. This time they used the mirror in Elsa's room, so that she could have some privacy to talk with her sister.

"Elsie!"

To hear her sister's voice, to see her beautiful freckled face, was all Elsa needed to remind herself of why she was alive.

"Hey, princess. How are you?"

"I miss you. I miss you very much."

"I miss you too."

"How are you? When are you coming back? Have you found a way yet?"

Elsa was determined not to tell Anna about the new crisis; no need to cause her any pain. She told her a few things, loose details, and swore she was working very hard to return home, which after all was true. Then she inquired about Arendelle itself. "How's everyone? How's the kingdom?"

"It's all holding up, Elsie, don't worry. Olaf misses you, too, but I've managed to keep him entertained. I did everything you told me last time, and tomorrow I'm having a meeting about that silk trade you were negotiating."

"Oh, do you think we can close the deal?"

"Yes. They're pretty much convinced by now, tomorrow's a mere formality."

Elsa felt her love multiply and explode. Her sister the little queen. Her queen. "I'm so proud of you, little bunny. You're doing a wonderful job. Have many people noticed I'm gone?"

"Well… kind of. You're the Queen, remember? And you're so close to the people that they were bound to miss you, too. But it's under control."

"What's the official version?" Anna must have come up with something; they both knew it was too risky to admit that the Queen was currently in another realm.

"You're in bed with some awful stuff that's really catchy. Only I can visit you, because I already had it as a kid. People do ask about it, but they don't intrude too much out of respect. On the bright side, you have a lot of get-well presents. Arendelle loves you, Elsa, they've sent you many pretty things. I ate a box of chocolates, though. They were the mint-filled ones, you don't like them, anyway. I hope you don't mind." Anna looked down, sheepish and guilty.

"Of course I don't mind. Whatever makes you happy, little bunny. You love those." Elsa felt a sob rising in her chest, pure longing for Anna. She fought it, hid it deep down. She could handle it. _Conceal, don't feel. _"I saw a baby today!" she exclaimed, eager to make it all happy again.

"Really?"

Elsa had once shared her desire for a baby with Anna, and the princess had been just as excited. She told her sister as much as she could about Belle's little girl, and her enthusiasm was just as she expected. They had talked about it before, and discussed options. The main problem was that Elsa longed to be a mother, but would never let a man anywhere near her.

"I'll find you a volunteer," promised Anna. "One so handsome that you won't have to fear or worry about anything."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "Why don't you just get superpowers and do the job yourself?"

Anna laughed. "With all the practice we have it would be the coolest kid on Earth."

"With your freckles!"

"And your ice powers!"

They rejoiced at the idea, but it was only wishful thinking. So many things they wanted, and so very few that they could have…

The mirrors blurred much too soon. When they saw the images disappear, the Queen and Princess, synchronized like one, leaned forward and pressed their lips to the crystal, matching each other. It was only coldness they felt, but the mere idea of the proximity they ached for made up for the missing warmth.

Once her sister had vanished completely, Anna reached for another box of chocolates (she had actually claimed all the mint-filled ones) and cried, wondering how she could have ever thought anyone else could ever be the love of her life.


	10. The Tormented Storm

**Hello, darlings! I know, this took more time than usual, but I really wanted it to work, and had to basically start over a few times. Anyway, it's also a bit longer than other chapters, so I hope that makes up for the delay. And there are some feels. I love you all very much. Enjoy!**

**The Tormented Storm**

"_Papa, please, can't I see her at least once?"_

"_I'm afraid it wouldn't be a good idea, Elsa. You know how frail your power is."_

"_Just once. Please. It's her birthday tomorrow. We always did something on her birthday. At least let me give her the present I got her." Elsa showed her father the little dolls she had spent a whole month sewing. They were representations of herself and Anna, just like the ones they used to play with, only now they looked older. Elsa had put great care in the little dresses and the hairstyles to match how she and her sister looked now. She had tied the dolls together with a glittery ribbon, hoping Anna would remember how close they used to be, and that she would know that Elsa hadn't forgotten._

"_It just won't be possible, darling. You still haven't fully recovered from… that day." The memory of his eldest daughter (eldest, but still a child), on the floor, shaking, curled up in a ball and crying inconsolably about being cursed and dangerous to everyone, was only too fresh in the King's mind. It wasn't Elsa's first crisis, and so he and the Queen were trying to keep her as undisturbed as possible. Seeing Anna might be too emotionally challenging for Elsa. "I can give her your gift, if you want," he offered. "I'm sure she will love these beautiful dolls."_

_Elsa shook her head. "It doesn't really matter."_

"_Elsa, sweetheart-"_

"_It doesn't." _

_The child sat on her bed, knees close to the torso. She pressed her hands to her ears and rocked herself softly back and forth. The King knew his daughter wouldn't listen to anything anymore and sighed. The dolls had been discarded on the floor, and he picked them up. He placed them on her night table, hoping she would reconsider. They were really beautiful, and he could already see how much they would mean to Anna. He patted Elsa's blonde little head, but she didn't react. With a last, painful look, he left and closed the door._

The Queen's eyes opened suddenly. For a moment she was disoriented, and then she recognized the Storybrooke morning. When she rose she noticed her pillow was damp, and so was her cheek. She had been crying in her sleep.

Why was she letting these things haunt her? Long gone were the years spent in reclusion. She was with Anna now, and had seen more of her than she'd ever thought possible. _And by the gods, those freckles…_ Her life finally seemed to be in place, and yet there was a part of her that still felt chained. These memories were dragging her back to dark places she desperately needed to forget.

But Elsa couldn't just stay in bed and dwell on her problems; rest was a luxury a Queen couldn't afford. She got up and prepared for the day –she had special plans that would be difficult but, if they went well, also quite satisfying.

If there was something that Elsa valued deeply there in Storybrooke it had to be the showers. Such a complex yet functional water system delighted and amazed her to no end. She had been studying it the best she could, drawing sketches and analysing its construction, in hopes of reproducing it in Arendelle. The idea of how much that would improve her people's life quality made her really happy. Another thing she had grown to love from that place was the clothes. Dresses in her land were often long and uncomfortable. Though ice was better than anything else in the world, she couldn't always wear it and ended up feeling trapped. Here, Elsa had fun picking her outfits and trying on items that would be considered outrageous in Arendelle. Pants? For a girl? That didn't matter here. When she examined the final result, she knew that in jeans and a flannel shirt, allowing her hair to fall free and loose down her back, she looked more beautiful than in any ball gown.

In the garden she found Regina, who was picking apples from her tree.

"I'm going out," she told her.

Regina immediately guessed her purpose. "Be careful. Gold plays dirty. You don't want me to go with you?"

"Don't worry, I'll be safe. I can handle it."

A couple of minutes after Elsa had left, Emma burst through the door, humming happily. In her arms she carried a bouquet of lilies. When she saw Regina, placing her apples in a fruit bowl, she beamed.

"Oi, Regina, I got you flowers!" When she realized what she'd said, Emma blushed and stammered. "I mean, for the house. Flowers for the house. To decorate. I remembered you once said you liked these so…"

To her surprise, Regina didn't laugh at her, hell, she even seemed to be blushing, too. "Thank you. They're my favourite." Regina accepted the bouquet with a smile. "I also have something for you. Here." She handed Emma a box of fried bread. The box had grease stains and smelled strongly of butter.

Emma's eyes lit up like a child's. "Wow! Thanks! But Regina, you once said these were horrible and awful and fattening."

"I know what I said and I'm not taking it back. They're gross. But I thought that if I forbade them you'd still find a way to get them and you'd end up eating more." If there was any importance in the fact that Regina had gotten up half an hour earlier to be the first one at the bakery and ensure Emma wouldn't miss her bread, it wasn't mentioned.

"I didn't think you cared about my health."

"Of course I do. Can't have you dying in my house, can I? There are only so many times I can try to kill you, you know." And, destroying what was left of her self-control, Regina smiled once more. "Let's give these a vase and some water."

Emma followed her into the kitchen, where they found a beautiful crystal vase and placed the lilies in it. Emma watched as Regina arranged each flower carefully, making sure each harmonized with the other to perfection. Her fascination with the care Regina was putting in the arrangement made Emma get closer and closer, and when Regina turned around, she found her just millimetres away.

"Emma, what…?"

"Sorry, Regina, I…"

Their eyes met. Their lips joined. The touch was soft and tentative, shy and clumsy. Both women were unsure, and only began gaining confidence from the other's reactions. They looked at each other, and kissed again. It was slow and tender, the first recognition and the sudden realization of how much they had wanted this. Emma placed her hands on Regina's hips and softly pulled her closer; the Mayor then finally dared to run her hand through Emma's hair. Regina nibbled delicately at Emma's lips and finished the kiss with a peck. Tentatively, Emma cupped Regina's cheek, and found such warmth in the woman's eyes that there wasn't room for doubt anymore. She wrapped the Queen in her arms and hugged her tightly. Sure enough, soon she felt Regina's arms closing around her own body.

"I love you."

::::::::::

Walking alone helped Elsa to clear out her mind after that nightmare. Every day she tried so hard to push the thoughts away, and yet they came back to haunt her at night. It's as if she had only traded one pain for another, and in her dreams there was little she could do to protect herself.

The walk didn't take as long as Elsa had expected. She ran into Gold on the street, a few blocks from his shop. Before he could react, she'd dragged him into a nearby alley and slammed him against the wall. She grabbed him by the coat and shook him, her anger finally coming out in growled words.

"Why? Just tell me why."

He smiled. "I was wondering when you would come to see me in person, and not send your nannies to do the job."

"I asked you something."

"Magic has a price, Elsa, and so does freedom. You chose to parade your powers, to show them off, and these are the consequences. You, your talent, your nature, will be desired and craved by many. And although not everyone is up to the challenge, those who are will make a move."

"You just want to attack me because you can," Elsa realized. He envied her, and coveted her magic out of sheer ambition and thirst for greatness. She had heard stories, Emma and Regina had told her how most of Gold's powers had been taken from others, starting with the Dark Power itself. Something like what she could do was bound to drive him crazy. Well, let it drive him crazy, and have him blinded with arrogance. "I'm not scared of you. I've dealt with your kind before, and I know how this story ends. Try whatever you want, but you're not getting away with this. You cannot hurt me."

This time Gold's smirk was mocking. "Playing strong, aren't you? May I remind you, Elsa, of how much you can be hurt? Thirteen years locked up, no one to talk to. Then your secret exposed, and you running away. People chasing you, thinking you are a monster. Doesn't that haunt you, Elsa? Doesn't that _hurt_ you?"

Elsa gritted her teeth, fighting the memories. _Conceal, don't feel._ "If you know so much about my life, then you are surely aware of what happened to everyone who tried to hunt me down. Those who hurt me pay too high a price. I can make another winter, I can give life to any shape my ice takes. I can _kill_. You know all that. So help me, all hell will break loose."

"I'm certain you know how risky that would be, surely you don't want to place yourself and so many innocent people in such danger. Besides, I believe you are concerned with your sister's safety, especially considering the, ah, special relationship between the two of you." Gold gave her a mocking smirk.

Elsa snorted. "You think you can intimidate me with that? Yes, I make love with my sister. Is that all you have to wield against me? She's realms away from both of us. But, hey, did you know that your wife visited me yesterday? She even brought your daughter with her, and let me hold her for a while." She paused for effect, and continued. "You threaten to hurt my sister, but in fact it was your daughter that was completely in my power. How many milliseconds do you think it would have taken me to overpower Belle?"

For the first time she saw Gold get nervous. "You wouldn't dare," he said.

"Wouldn't I?"

Elsa looked at Gold, her blue eyes dark and piercing. Around them, ice spread in thick layers, creeping with a deep, dry noise. This ice had colour, Gold noticed, red undertones that made it look as if it was on fire inside. And it wasn't Elsa's shiny snowflakes, either; this was spikes and roughness, raspy ice that could very well cut or tear.

Elsa felt her stomach turn as she pronounced the threats against Belle and her daughter, but knew they were necessary. And besides, he hadn't hesitated to insinuate hurting Anna, had he? Why should she refrain from playing with his loved ones, when hers had become his weapon? Despite her guilt, she saw in his eyes that he was starting to believe her capable of keeping those terrible promises, and couldn't help a touch of pleasure. She let the ice creep a bit higher before finally stepping back to admire her work, both on the man and on the walls. Gold looked around at all the icy mess.

"What?" said Elsa, feigning innocence. "You're stealing my power, surely you can clean this up."

Gold rearranged his coat and looked coldly at Elsa. "Fine. Let it be as you want. Let it be exactly as difficult for everyone as you want it to be. But if I was you I would try to keep it here," he gestured at the two of them. "After all, if I was able to reach you in your kingdom and bring you all the way here, who says I cannot reach _her_? Just remember that whatever befalls my daughter might, just might, befall your sister. Or should I say your lover? Well, you know who I mean. Think about it, Elsa. Goodbye."

She saw him walk away and waited before leaving the alley herself. Oh gods. Regina hadn't been exaggerating when she'd said that Gold played dirty. Elsa felt such turmoil inside her that she thought she would explode. She rubbed her hands to keep any random ice from bursting out and tried to calm down. She failed.

Her heartbeat quickened and her breath roughened. She felt a crisis coming. It had been quite a while since the last one, but between her dream and her encounter with Gold she guessed her mind wasn't precisely in top shape. Knowing she wouldn't make it to the house, Elsa looked around the street and sought shelter. She saw a small diner and headed that way. When she walked in, she immediately felt all the eyes on her. Elsa walked as fast as she could, headed straight for the farthest booth. She sat down and breathed deeply a few times, trying to calm down. _Anna, chocolate, ice and snow,_ she chanted to herself. _Anna, chocolate, ice and snow._ Reciting the things that made her happiest slowly began to soothe her.

Granny saw her. The girl looked so desperate, and yet was trying so hard to appear serene, that she felt moved. Perhaps she had misjudged her. This would be a good time to make up for that.

"Here, child," she said, placing a cup of tea in front of her.

Elsa looked up, startled. "Oh, thank you. But I'm afraid I don't have any mo-"

Granny rolled her eyes. "Please."

The childlike gratitude in Elsa's eyes startled Granny for a moment. She softly rubbed the girl's shoulder and attempted a smile. Elsa corresponded, and Granny felt guilty for the original opinion she'd had of her. She left her alone to give her some privacy, but decided to keep a watch on her.

Elsa sipped the tea. It was like heaven. Little by little she began to feel better, and realized she had managed to stop the crisis before it actually hit. She allowed herself a tiny proud smile and then she heard the voice.

"Hello."

She looked up and saw a man with a friendly face.

"I'm Dr. Hopper," he introduced himself. "I saw you when Emma took you to Snow's place. Elsa, right?"

"Yes. You're a doctor? What do you specialize on?"

"I'm a psychologist."

"A what?"

"A psychologist."

"What do psychologists do?" Elsa asked, curious. She had never met one before.

"Well, I…"

"Please, sit down. Tell me all about it."

Dr. Hopper sat in front of her, and tried to explain what his profession consisted of. "I try to help people, when they're feeling sad, angry or worried. We talk and try to find a solution. There is always one."

"Do you really think so? What if you are your own problem?"

"Well, you can solve yourself. It's a bit harder, but still not impossible."

Elsa laughed. "Some of us are beyond repair. Unsolvable for eternity."

"Eternity is a lot of time for someone as young as you. How can there be no solution?"

"Because… Because when something hurts you, the way to stop the pain is to destroy the source, or at least get away from it. If your tooth aches you take it out, if the fire burns you don't go too close. But when you are the source, how can you leave it behind? How can you get rid of it? Get rid of your own entity? We go everywhere with ourselves, so there is no escape. And when you've tried everything, and you only manage to make the situation worse, what is left? And when you're hurting others along the way?"

Dr. Hopper paused. He hadn't imagined that her inner conflicts were so serious. Yes, one look at her was enough to see that she was crying out for help, that's why he had decided to approach her; but the amount of pain that seemed to pour from her was shocking, all the more because of the effort she was making to hide it. He chose his next words carefully. "Maybe we have let some things hurt us for so long that we have come to accept them as part of who we are and we have blended with them, not realizing that they aren't actually ours. Maybe what we need is to see how much we have absorbed from others who might not be wishing the best for us. Those patterns can be destroyed, if we have the courage to just let go."

Elsa looked down. She seemed deep in thought. "Let go…" she repeated.

In that moment Ruby called from behind the counter. "Archie, you're running late! Remember you have an appointment with Grumpy. We don't want him to be, well, _grumpier._"

"Oh, I completely forgot!" He turned to Elsa. "I'm so terribly sorry."

"Don't worry, I understand. Thank you for listening."

"On the contrary, thank _you_ for sharing."

He rose from the booth, but Elsa stopped him.

"Dr. Hopper, could I… could we… talk again… sometime?" Her voice was little more than a whisper.

"Of course. Here, take this card. The address is on it. You're welcome anytime you want. And please, call me Archie."

::::::::::

Gold was enraged. He had underestimated the girl. Completely underestimated the girl. When he had found out about her, and done further research, he had always seen a little child, inexperienced, terrified or her own shadow, with no confidence or self-esteem whatsoever. Someone who, though born and bred to be queen, had never considered herself more than a disgrace. That's what he had brought to this land, that's what he had expected to find. Now she wasn't even responding to the curse he had placed on her earrings, now she was making threats and fighting back like a lioness. It also didn't help that she had Regina backing her up, of course, but he knew that the true fierceness lay in the ice child.

On the other hand, though…. He'd just witnessed a rather impressive display of her powers. It was nothing like any magic of his could achieve. From the first time he had sensed her powers, when she had visited his shop, he knew they were extraordinary, and much greater that even she knew. That winter she'd cast in her land was nothing in comparison with what still slept inside her.

Now that she was perfectly aware of what he was doing he would need to be more careful. He hoped she wouldn't keep her threats; after all there was genuine goodness in her, but he would nonetheless have to figure out a way to ensure his daughter stayed safe –otherwise everything would be pointless. Before he moved to the next phase, however, there was something he needed to fix. Belle was back working at the library, and that was his first stop. He took his wife to the back of the place and confronted her.

"I heard you went to Regina's house yesterday."

Belle looked back at him, unflinching. "Yes, I did."

"And you took our child."

"Yes." She clutched her baby tighter against her chest.

"Why did you do that?"_ How many milliseconds do you think it would have taken me to overpower Belle? _Elsa's words came back to him and sent a pang of anger and worry.

"I felt I owed her some sort of explanation or apology. And since when do I have to ask you or get your approval before visiting someone?"

"Belle, I didn't mean it that way. I'm simply concerned for you and the baby. I would like you to stay out of this." _What would I do if something happened to you? _

"Why? You don't think I can handle or understand it? You mean to go on hiding things from me like I'm some dumb four-year-old?"

"Your condition was delicate. I didn't want to upset you."

"I was just pregnant! It's not like I was handicapped, or retarded, or anything like that. You could have told me, and I would have listened. Yet you've been deliberately ignoring me, as if I was below you. Do you think that, Rumple, that I'm not good enough? Why are you doing this, anyway? Don't you realize that it's monstrous, that you're hurting a girl who has done you no wrong? Would you like it if someone did that to our daughter?"

"Don't you say that. This won't put you in any danger. Just give me time, Belle, and you will see. Trust me, please."

"How can you ask me that, after the way you've showed me that you don't deserve that trust?" Belle ran a hand through her hair. She looked so hurt, angry, and confused, that for a moment Gold couldn't take it and almost decided to give everything up. He caught himself on time. He knew she would understand, sooner or later; his Belle was a smart woman and she would soon see through his actions.

Eventually Belle met his eyes. "Look, right now I don't know what I'm going to do, I don't know what to make of all this, but if this goes on and I have to pick a side, I will take hers. I mean it, Rumple, I will stand by her. She's the nicest, kindest, gentlest, warmest person ever. You should have seen her with our daughter. What you're doing, Rumple, is monstrous. Why do you keep letting your ambition get in the way of happiness? Why make such efforts to destroy everything you have, and drag us all with you? Am I not enough? Isn't your daughter enough?" Belle placed a hand on his cheek.

The tenderness of her touch was almost too much to bear. "Aren't I telling you that everything I do is for both of you?" He touched their daughter. "She's the reason I'm doing this! It's all for her, and for you. To keep you safe, to make sure you have the best in the world."

"How is any of this going to help us?"

"You will see, Belle, just give me a chance."

"And what about _her_?"

Gold didn't answer. Belle shook her head in disappointment. "That's what I thought. You're a mess, Rumplestiltskin. And you're still a coward."

With that, Belle turned around, leaving him behind. As Gold saw her walk away he swore he would prove to her how strong he could be. Belle would see what he was capable of for his family. Even if it meant the blood of an innocent.


	11. The Emotional Storm

**The Emotional Storm**

Elsa arrived home to the sight of Emma and Regina holding hands as they flipped through the pages of a photo album. Regina was showing Emma pictures of baby Henry and also told her cute anecdotes about them. Regina's voice was soft and warm as she talked, just as soft and warm as the look Emma was giving her. Elsa smiled to herself. She had succeeded, she had brought together two souls that weren't made to be apart. Elsa felt she had done something good, and a warm feeling filled her heart. She now had a happy story to tell Anna.

She tried to be quiet in order not to disturb the women, but she was noticed. When they saw her, happiness was replaced with concern.

"God, Elsa, what happened?"

Elsa didn't look exactly hurt, but the emotional exhaustion was clear on her face. She had really gone through pretty much every feeling possible in the last couple of hours. Elsa found herself taken to the living room, given a cup of chocolate, and demanded to spare no details. Somehow, she managed to tell them everything without upsetting them too much. She might have kept a couple of specifics to herself, but she made her point. There was one thing she did want to bring up.

"I met Dr. Hopper at the diner."

Emma smiled. "Oh, really? You met Archie? He's a darling."

"Yes, he was very kind to me. I was thinking, if it's okay, I would like to talk more to him. It felt good to have someone who… someone who would listen, you know? Someone who would just listen."

"I think it's a wonderful idea," agreed Regina. "Dr. Hopper is a very reliable person, and you will really benefit from his company. He's very professional."

"You've been to his office?" Emma asked, surprised. Of all people in the world, her Regina was the one she'd least expected to go to therapy. Always so sure of herself, so strong, so determined. Emma knew she would never get an answer from her, so she simply took her hand, trying to convey her understanding. Elsa noticed, and grinned.

"Now tell me. You guys finally together?"

Regina and Emma updated Elsa on that morning's events, and Elsa expressed her joy at seeing them together.

"How did you know?" Regina asked her. "You could tell so easily, when we weren't able to see what had been right in front of us for so long."

"Who could have missed those little looks? How your voices change when you talk to each other? Or when you talk about each other? Seriously, you are very, very obvious. I'm glad for you. You deserve to be happy. You can be together and free, no one can tell you anything about your relationship."

Regina laughed and turned to Emma. "Except your mother. When will you tell her?"

Emma looked horrified. "Oh, no, _you'll _tell her."

"Why me? You're the daughter."

"It's customary to request permission to court a princess. You tell her."

"It is _not_ customary if the one doing the courting is a _Queen_. You tell her."

"You."

"You."

"You!"

Regina and Emma were getting caught in their little argument. Elsa knew how those usually ended, and she didn't want to witness the adults-only part that was coming. She took advantage of their distraction to sneak out, leaving just in time before the kissing started.

**::::::::**

Elsa made an appointment with Archie for the very next day. She had no idea how talking to a psychologist was like, but she hoped for the best. It certainly couldn't be worse than other people she had met. She wasn't disappointed. The second Archie opened the door to receive her, Pongo jumped and licked her face. Elsa jumped back, startled, but soon became best friends with the Dalmatian.

"I've never had a pet," she explained. "I wasn't allowed to, though I asked many times. Now my sister and I are thinking of getting a kitten, or maybe a puppy. I guess we'll end up with both."

Archie invited her to sit down on the couch; much to her delight, Pongo immediately cuddled with her. Archie made casual conversation with her so that she would relax. He already had some information about her, because Emma had called him to ask him to be slow and understanding. It was going to take a lot to make her open up, she said, and begged him to be patient.

But it was the exact opposite of that. Elsa couldn't wait to talk. It was easy to trust Archie, and once she started she just went on and on and on. When she told him the story of her life she felt as if she'd known him for years. She talked like never before. People knew bits and pieces about her, but no one had ever gotten the full story. Yet now that she'd begun to tell it, she couldn't stop. She was desperate to be heard. Everything came out: her early childhood, the accident with Anna, her subsequent locking up for thirteen years, her parents' death, her cruel exposure to the world, and her slow recovery. She saw the three years between the loss of her parents and her coronation as the darkest in her life.

"I was on my own. No one could talk to me, no one could see me. No one knew. Who could count on?"

"Your parents were the only ones you had contact with, weren't they?"

"Yes. When they were gone, I had just the absolutely necessary contact with the staff in order to keep things running. Anna was under my care now, and I had to make sure she got everything she needed, from her meals to her lessons. There was nothing I wanted more than to talk to her. She would knock on my door, begging me to come out, how could I tell her that I needed her desperately, but that my contact was dangerous, that I almost killed her once?" When she spoke, Archie noted that she rubbed her hands, squeezing the fingers and pressing until her knuckles went white. Her right foot started to tap nervously as she continued. "And I tried to prepare for the coronation. I knew I would very soon be queen and it terrified me. I tried to remember what my father used to tell me, the advice he had for when the time came and I had to rule. I never liked talking about it, because getting the throne meant that he was no longer with me, but he insisted. I couldn't thank him enough for all those nights he spent giving me advice and guidance. Without that I don't know what I would have done. I miss him so much…"

She also told him about her relationship with Anna, and was surprised at how calmly he took it. Everyone Elsa had shared this with had simply accepted the fact that she and her sister were in love, which worried her because she was getting used to the tolerance. She was sure people in Arendelle wouldn't be as understanding, and the ever-growing worry about their reaction was constantly bothering her.

Archie was also the first person Elsa told about what had happened with Hans. He'd gone to her cell, she began, he'd visited her after her ice palace had been invaded and she had been taken captive. He had calmly told her everything, every single thing he had planned and done: wooing one of the sisters, picking Anna because she was so desperate for affection, chasing Elsa and bringing her here, setting up her downfall. He'd told her every detail of his plot against them and how now that he had left Anna to die he only had her to take care of. He would kill her, but not before he'd had some fun. She was so pretty. So pretty. He had begun to touch her, and to say even more horrible things about how pretty she was and how much she was going to love their little moment together.

When Archie realized what she was referring to, his blood froze. "Elsa, if this is too difficult for you to talk about…" He didn't want to press the girl on such a delicate subject.

"No, I'm fine. I need to say it, I need to get it off my chest. If you want to listen, that is."

Elsa's eyes were doubtful, and she looked as if she was already preparing herself for rejection. It broke Archie's heart. "Of course I do. Go ahead."

Hans kept talking, and got bolder with his words and with his hands. Elsa couldn't decide what had hurt her more, if his actual deeds or all the horrors he had told her. The words in her ears revolted her just as much as the hands on her skin.

"He said he would have done it anyway, after marrying Anna he would have done it. He regretted having had to pick her, when I was more beautiful. He preferred me to her, and marrying Anna wouldn't stop him from taking who he really wanted. Now, of course, having me isolated and chained made it just perfect. He said… he said he had already done it to Anna." With those last words Elsa's eyes burned with an unexpected fierceness and hatred. Her nails dug into the sofa and thin threads of ice began forming a delicate net around them. She noticed, and quickly pulled them back.

"Did he actually…?"

Elsa shook her head. "His guards intervened. They called from outside the cell, and said that someone needed to speak to him urgently. He commanded them to wait, but they insisted. He left, said he wasn't done with me yet, but left. He was too sure of his victory to doubt that I would still be there to please him. The guards approached me. One of them unlocked my chains, and then they were gone. I've never been able to find them. Without the chains I could fully use my powers again, and I was able to escape."

"What did your sister say about this?"

"I never told her. It would have hurt her too much. She already felt guilty about what she knew –his scheme, how he had imprisoned both of us, how he almost killed us. If she found out that the man she once loved had tried to hurt me so horribly, oh no, it would be terrible for her. You're the first one to know the whole story."

_She's too young_, Archie thought_, too young to be so damaged. How can someone deliberately try to hurt her?_

"What happened to him?" Seeing the kind of woman Elsa was, Archie could tell that the offense hadn't gone unpunished.

A bitter half smile appeared on her face. "I got my revenge on him. Made sure he would never do that to anyone else. He would have hurt my sister, he would have hurt me. Who knows how many there were before us? But I assure you, there were none _after_ us. He lives, but I suppose he wishes he was dead."

Once again, Archie saw the fire in Elsa's eyes. He could tell that whatever she had done, it hadn't been for herself, but for the threat that man had placed upon her sister.

"After this, uh, episode, did you see a doctor? Did you get any help? Any kind of support?"

"I had Anna checked thoroughly, to verify that he hadn't actually hurt her. He hadn't, he'd just been trying to torment me. I kept her surrounded by her troll friends and the iceman so that she would never be lonely again, and now she's perfect. Well, she's always been, but you understand what I mean." She smiled softly. "Still, she sought my company above all others', and that's how our relationship evolved. She had everything she needed, I saw to that."

"But I mean _you_, you, Elsa. Did anyone look after _you_?"

"Oh, me. I… I was alive, Anna was alive, and that's what mattered. I had a kingdom to take care of, I had so much work. Arendelle needed me." Elsa had leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Her back slumped, her head was lowered. There was the hand twitching again, pulling the fingers, sinking the nails on the palms.

"Are you telling me that you dealt with all this on your own? Completely on your own?" With all that emotional overload it was a wonder that the girl was functional and sane.

"I can handle it. But…"

"But?"

"There are these nightmares." Elsa's hands were twitching again. "Every night. I see everything again, and I… It's awful."

"When did they start?"

"There were a few when I was little, and after my parents died it got really bad. But it was after the coronation that they got out of control. I guess that after so many years of trying not to feel, all the sensations hit me at once. Anna soothes me, but it's still quite horrible."

Without noticing, Elsa had pressed her hands to her head, and was shaking softly. Archie gave her a moment to calm down before continuing.

"The first thing we should focus on is your anxiety and panic attacks. "

"My what?"

_Christ._ "These… crises that you have. You've told me about how you react under pressure, and how you feel now. That can be considered severe anxiety. We'll start slowly. Listen, I want you to write down everything that troubles you and everything that makes you happy. Write down your nightmares, too. No one has to read that, just start getting the feelings out of your system."

Elsa nodded slowly, still shaking slightly. When she felt better, she decided it was time to leave. She didn't want to overload the poor doctor with her troubles. He surely had some of his own, and she didn't want to be a nuisance in anyone's life. He was there for her now, and she didn't want to ruin it.

"I wish we had people like you in Arendelle. Psychologists. It would do so much good for so many people."

"I appreciate that, Elsa. Anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask. I'd actually like to see you again in a couple of days, to check on you."

"That would be a pleasure. Well, then, I guess that now I'll-" Elsa stopped, and then groaned. "Oh, gods, I keep forgetting I don't have any money in Storybrooke's currency."

"Elsa, please, don't even mention it."

"But I really need to pay you. I'm so sorry, I just always forget. I'm so sorry." She thought for a moment and then found the perfect solution. "I know!"

Elsa waved and swirled her hand. A whirl of ice began to take shape. She had created a sculpture, about half a human's size but placed on a base, also made of ice, that made it stand tall and proud in Archie's office.

"So, do you like it?" she smiled, hopeful. "It's a cricket, see? I don't know why, and please forgive me if I offend you, but I think of crickets when I see you. You don't have to worry about heat, my ice doesn't melt unless I want it to. Do you like it?"

Archie tried to find a way to convey how moved he was by the girl's gesture. "Elsa, this is extraordinary. I shouldn't accept it. This is worth a thousand sessions, it's too much."

"Please accept it. Please. You have no idea what this means to me."

Archie fidgeted for a while, deeply embarrassed, but accepted Elsa's gift. As he walked her to the door he thanked her again.

"I'm so glad I can help you, Elsa."

She took his hand between hers. "I shall never forget this kindness."

**:::::::**

"I'm not sure I can do it."

"Of course you can. Please, Elsa, please," Emma whined. "You're our only hope."

"But I-"

"Please! I know Regina needs it too, but she'll never tell you. Help us out, please. Just the essentials. Please."

Emma's enthusiasm was too strong to resist. And so Elsa found herself led to Regina's bedroom, much to hers and the Mayor's surprise.

Emma stood happily between the two women and made her announcement. "Elsa's gonna teach us about girl sex."

Upon hearing her, Regina's eyes went wide and Elsa turned scarlet red.

"Excuse me?" Regina was the first one to regain her power of speech.

"Elsa knows more than we do about this, so I thought that she could give us some advice about how to, y'know, get it going." Emma was practically beaming.

Regina blushed and began to stammer. "Emma, I think we are going too fast, just yesterday we… Maybe we should-"

But Emma interrupted Regina with a kiss that made Elsa turn around and cover her face.

"Are we, now?" asked the Sheriff. "Better be ready. We don't know when she'll leave, and I don't know about you, Madam Mayor, but I could do with some guidance."

"I seriously think you know more than I do," Elsa insisted. "The other day I was checking that TV of yours and believe me, I never saw anything like _that_ in Arendelle."

"Because there are no TVs there. But you have actually _done_ it, and that's what matters." Emma made both women sit on Regina's bed and plopped herself between them. "So! What happens? How is it different from sex with a guy?"

Elsa sighed, defeated. "Well, I've never been with a guy, so I'm afraid I can't actually compare. I guess you know about that one more than me. But I can tell you that a girl is soft, a girl is warm. Your bodies are in essence the same, so you know your territory. Men are more aggressive, they're after different things when they hold a woman. Being with another girl allows you to really feel everything, to take your time and experience the whole episode in a whole different level."

"So what, you go slower?"

"Well, that depends. That it can be sweeter does not mean that it gets slow or boring. Making love with another woman can really be a huge, intense experience. What I'm saying is that you have more tenderness, but you can definitely have the passion as well. Actually, it's only when you're getting started that you need to be slow; once you know how it goes self-control becomes the thing to practice."

Regina felt her own curiosity finally overpowering her. "How was it like, the first time you did it?"

Elsa smiled, a mixture of nostalgia and warmth. "My first time was… it was really special. I'd had a long day, meetings and paperwork and all sorts of things. In the evening, Anna came for me and dragged me out of the study, saying I'd been overworking and I should rest. She took me to her room and made me turn it into a winter scenario like the ones we used to create as kids. We built a snowman. She started a snowball fight, and one thing led to the other. We'd wanted each other for a while, but we were both too coward and shy. It was really weird, because neither of us knew exactly what to do. It took us a while to figure things out."

"But now you're fine."

"Now we're fine."

"How is it like, you and her?" Emma asked. "Is it really that good?"

Elsa bit her lip with a little smirk. "You have no idea. One time," she began to laugh, "a guard told me he thought my sister had had a nightmare, because from a floor below he'd heard her scream all night. He looked so concerned I didn't have the heart to tell him the truth." She laughed again and continued, caught in her memories. "That was a good one. Another time we did it in the library, right next to the meeting room where the Council awaited us. We were trying to keep quiet, and ended up knocking over a shelf. Once you find a rhythm life is perfect. You have to know your partner, though, get used to her, and understand how she is and what she likes. Anna is… insatiable. She's very demanding. Of course, she says _I'm_ demanding, so…"

Emma and Regina looked at Elsa. In that white lace dress, hair falling loosely in soft waves, no one would have imagined her capable of such things. Yet now her eyes had a naughty twinkle and she was inadvertently licking her lips. Who knew what else she was remembering. She looked sexy as hell.

"It seems that Anna is a very happy girl," Emma said before she could realize. "I wish I knew how to do that."

"What, do you want me to show you?" Mixed with her blushes and stumbling words from before, Elsa raised an eyebrow in the way only Elsa could.

"Jesus Christ, Elsa! We've only been together for 24 hours, and she'll leave me for you!" Regina exclaimed.

"What? She was the one who wanted to know. Don't worry, I've got one of my own, I will not take yours."

Elsa was laughing, and the others soon joined her. She had been raised under the typical good girl norm, and had never talked about such matters before, even if from her bedroom door and in she had pretty much done everything. Sharing tips was amusing to her, as well as remembering some of her best times with Anna.

Regina was the first one to calm down, and she quickly addressed Elsa again. "How was _your_ sex talk? Did you even get one?"

"I did, actually. When I turned seventeen my mother told me a few things. It was expected that I would soon marry, and so I needed to know the basics. Contrary to what I imagined, she didn't lecture me on duty. She told me about enjoying myself, about finding out what I liked and forming a relationship with pleasure and good chemistry. She knew a lot, my mother, and made sure I learned all that." _My dad taught me how to rule and my mom taught me how to love. _

"She only told me about relationships between a man and a woman, though; I bet she wasn't expecting her daughters to end up with each other. My sister didn't get her talk. It is customary to have it when you turn seventeen. Our mom died when Anna was fifteen, so… And I wasn't able to talk to her. I remember I left some books for her when her birthday arrived. My poor darling must have been so scared! I made up for it, later, I did talk to her. And then I showed her… Anyway, what else?"

Emma and Regina shook their heads, they had no more questions… for the moment.

"Great. Look, there aren't rules to follow, nothing that tells you exactly how this should be done. Just allow yourselves to feel and it will happen naturally. You're both in love. You're finally together, and you will stand for each other, every time. Enjoy that! Simply relax and appreciate that you're right where you're meant to be. And never stop trying new things. Spice it up, always. Once you've tried a girl, your girl, you won't want anything else."

With that, Elsa left, and the couple felt they'd just met a whole new person.

**:::::::::**

That night, Elsa was awakened by her own cries. The nightmares again. Would she ever be truly free of them? She looked around for some comfort, but of course she found none. Her bed felt very empty without Anna. Elsa had begun to really miss her little redhead, whose cuddles and caresses made nights more bearable. More than once Anna had had to wake her up from a nightmare, and she would soothe her without making any questions, simply holding and kissing her. Weird, that at those times the roles inverted and it was Anna's turn to be the big strong sister for Elsa.

Without her, Elsa felt lost. No Anna meant that Elsa's inner monsters were free to devour her. One by one they returned, from her baby sister lying unconscious on the floor of the ballroom to the servant who had carried the news of her parents' death, from the icy spikes that had blasted during her coronation party and exposed her to the world to the hundreds of snowmen she never got to build.

Elsa grabbed a pillow and hugged it. It wasn't soft and warm like Anna's body, but it was better than nothing. She rubbed herself a little against it; between the afternoon talk and her sudden memories of Anna she felt her body aching for touch. She didn't take full care of herself, though, that felt like a betrayal towards Anna. She settled for a little more rubbing and the anticipation of all that would happen once she returned to Arendelle.

She slept for a while, but woke up again, and this time it was worse. It was real. There was a huge pain in her chest, as if a large knife was digging into her. She bit into the pillow in order not to scream, but the sound escaped despite her efforts. She couldn't breathe. Her hands began hurting, her fingers were white-hot and shaking, it was too much. _Anna, make it stop, please make it stop._ She growled and trembled, and let out a long cry of agony.

Not far away, Belle's daughter began to cry. Since she was usually a heavy sleeper her mother worried and tended to her immediately. Belle didn't even bother turning to her husband; his side of the bed was empty. She took her child in her arms and checked her. Nothing seemed to be wrong –it wasn't hunger, it wasn't the diaper, it wasn't an illness. The baby was fine. It was then that she noticed the coldness of her daughter's skin, and the tiny little snowflakes that were drifting away…


End file.
